If you are planning to take the bus to Eilat, then it makes sense to sandwich Eilat between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv - taking the bus from Jerusalem and flying back to Tel Aviv.

However, in that case you would need to take all your luggage with you.

I would personally chop a day of Jerusalem and go to Tel Aviv a day earlier, and then fly TLV --> Eilat --> TLV some time in middle of your Tel Aviv week, so that you can leave your stuff in your Tel Aviv hotel. Personally I would take the 2-day Petra trip. You can take the earliest flight from Tel Aviv to Eilat on the 1st day, and the latest flight from Eilat back to Tel Aviv on the 2nd day.

May 25 is a Sunday. Are you arriving on Friday APRIL 25 and leaving May 7 (the day after Independence Day) ??

I am corrected; I am arriving the end of APRIL...Fri the 25th and leaving at 1:10 am on Wednesday the 7th of May, after the Independance Day celebration.

In Tel Aviv we are staying at the Hilton; would they hold our luggage overnight for us?

debi when you say the two day trip to Petra, do you mean day one travel to Eilat and day two PEtra/return to Tel Aviv? or do you mean more time in Petra itself? That could work doing it during the TEl Aviv week instead of Jerusalem. Do the airlines fly on shabbat?.....I"m sure it's a no but...............

<< Do the airlines fly on shabbat?.....I"m sure it's a no but...............>>

A quick look at the Arkia website shows a flight to from Tel Aviv to Eilat on Saturday November 2 at 13:30, and the Israir website shows a flight from Tel Aviv to Eilat, departing 15:15. So it's a yes.

I suggest flying to Eilat the night before your tour to Petra. Return flight at 9 p.m. after returning or the following morning. Both Arkia and Israir fly on Shabbat to Ben Gurion and Sde Dov airports. Tickets are purchased as one way so you can mix and match airlines and airports.

Chana

Israel

Let me offer another suggestion: Fly into Amman from LAX, go to Petra first, come back in via either the Allenby or Eliat crossing, then head to Jerusalem and leave from Tel Aviv. Right now on Expedia I'm seeing a LAX-AMM-TLV-LAX flight for $833 on Turkish Air, via Istanbul. That's dang cheap. I would not expect this fare to last long.

Already booked/paid on El Al nonstop from LA.......not changing that!

I meant the 2 day 1 night trip to Petra and Wadi Rum. You can either fly to Eilat the previous day and have 2 nights away or take the earliest morning flight and have 1 night away.

If you are staying at the Hilton prior and post Petra then they should hold you luggage while you are away.

I meant the 2 day 1 night trip to Petra and Wadi Rum. You can either fly to Eilat the previous day and have 2 nights away or take the earliest morning flight and have 1 night away.

If you are staying at the Hilton prior and post Petra then they should hold you luggage while you are away.