So why should you book a vacation on an Israeli website? (Photo: ShutterStock)
If in the past in order to book a flight, hotel or vacation package we would leave the house, enter a travel agency and sit in front of an agent - today we do it ourselves, without getting up from the computer chair.
The internet offers countless websites for booking flights and hotels and we just have to choose which one to book our next vacation.
So how do you really choose?
Booking sites from all over the world compete for your click and your pocket, the offer is wide and each of them guarantees the best deals and special prices that will remain valid only if you press "OK" in the next five minutes (it's not really like that, but that's what they want you to think).
Oz Gor, CEO of the move company that operates the SKYMAX site from max, has good advice on how to start: First of all, choose an Israeli site. There are many reasons for this. The first is that it is a site that will be in your language, so that it will be easier for you not to miss subtleties, nuances and "Small letters" that can change the apparent attractiveness of the proposed deal.
Another reason is that an Israeli website is subject to the Consumer Protection Law, while an international website is not.
This means a lot: the site subject to the law is obliged to cancel an order and refund the payment for it up to 14 days after it was made (as long as it is not less than a week before departure).
So if there was a problem and there is a change in plans, which does not allow you to go on the vacation you scheduled, while with the reservation on the international site your money went down the drain, on the Israeli site you can "reverse" and cancel the deal without being financially harmed.
"This is a big advantage compared to the international booking sites," Gur emphasizes.
Another advantage is the customer service.
In a significant part of the international booking sites there is no telephone service at all and the customer has to settle for chat or e-mail - which are also conducted in the English language and often in a slow and cumbersome manner.
The Israeli reservation site, on the other hand, will provide you with service in Hebrew by all means of communication, including telephone.
"And beyond that - Israeli customer service knows very well the needs of the local customer," adds Gur.
"He can better understand his problems and help him with a series of issues that are unique to us, such as visas for different countries, the congestion at Ben Gurion Airport and help with the airlines."
Another advantage is the division into payments.
While on an international site there is no possibility to do this, on the Israeli site you can divide the payment into short or long periods, according to your convenience.
On the SKYMAX website, for example, when you want to book a flight, hotel or package that costs more than the total number of credit points available for use,
And when it comes to costs, it is also important to know that international websites often present a price that seems attractive, but at the end of the ordering process it turns out that more payments and various fees must be added to it, which make it much less attractive.
The conversion fee must also be taken into account: spending 500 dollars or euros will not be reflected in your credit expenses account exactly according to the representative rate of the foreign currency, but according to the rate plus the (variable) conversion fee charged by the credit company.
On the Israeli site, the charge is in advance in shekels, does not change depending on the card and the customer knows exactly how much he is paying.
Father, mother and girl at the airport before a vacation (Photo: ShutterStock)
With SKYMAX points you can get to the free flight much faster
. SKYMAX credit card customers from max get to not only book a flight, hotel or vacation on a Hebrew-speaking website, but receive them for free.
They make their purchases using the card and earn points in a very profitable way: for every NIS 160 spent on the card, one point is earned to book a flight worth NIS 1. In other words: spending 4,800 on the card will earn you 30 points for that month. Competing cards, on the other hand , the accumulation is one point for every NIS 250 spent.
This means that with SKYMAX you can get to the free flight much faster.
The points can be redeemed on the skymax website, you don't have to reach the amount of points required for the flight price, you can book part of the flight with points and part with a cash payment.
The prices shown on the website are final - without additional payments such as port taxes.
"The SKYMAX points accumulated by using the credit card allow you to fly with all airlines, including low cost - which is a big advantage," says Gore.
"It also makes it possible to combine flights of different airlines. There are many cases in which customers prefer to fly with one airline and return with another - both because it can lower the price and because it makes it possible to choose a more convenient flight. An advanced website, such as the SKYMAX website, Knows how to build one reservation with two different airlines and thus allow the customer to fly at the time most convenient for him and not at the time convenient for the airline."
What else would you advise holidaymakers?
"It is better to book as early as possible. The airlines offer low prices when the flights open and as you get closer to the flight date - the price increases. That is why it is better to book early. In case there is a concern that the date is too far and 'who knows what will happen by then' - for a small additional fee you can get an option Cancellation insurance, which allows a refund of 80% of the price of the vacation if canceled up to 12 hours before departure, for any reason. In general, it is always worth checking the options for change and cancellation. Although the corona virus is behind us, it is still a period of uncertainty and unexpected things happen. So it's always good Have the ability to cancel. There are airlines that allow changes at no cost or at low cost and you should choose their flights."
For details and ordering a skymax card that earns points for flights>>
"It is better to order as early as possible" (Photo: ShutterStock)
Important Information:
Non-compliance with the repayment of the loan / credit may result in arrears interest being charged and enforcement procedures, subject to the underwriting conditions and the lender's approval: max |
Issuance of a SKYMAX card is subject to the terms of joining, the max approval and the terms of the card and benefits |
Accumulation of points will be carried out against the execution of 'transactions' as defined in the SKYMAX regulations
Accumulation of points and their redemption within the framework of the SKYMAX website subject to the terms of use of the website, in accordance with the SKYMAX regulations and using the SKYMAX card only |
The service is provided by Smartair Tel Aviv Ltd. and under its sole responsibility | The products / services (including their prices, nature, quality, delays/cancellations or flight postponements, etc.) are the sole responsibility of the businesses and Smartair Tel Aviv Ltd., only | max is not a party to the transactions carried out on the site and bears no responsibility for them | max and/or Smartair Tel Aviv Ltd. may change or cancel the promotion / benefit at any time and without prior notice |
The pictures are for illustration only
The conversion rate today is NIS 160 = 1 SKYMAX point,
But it is clarified that max is entitled to change the conversion ratio and the terms of the regulations from time to time, as will be published on the SKYMAX website |
In transactions with state institutions, such as the post office and the electricity company, the conversion ratio is NIS 320 = 1 SKYMAX point (no limit on the amount of transactions) |
Exemption from ticket fees for the first year: full exemption from the ticket fee fee for 12 months from the date the card is issued, and as long as the card is associated with the SKYMAX Club |
One benefit per customer (at the T.Z level) |
At the end of the benefit period, a monthly card fee of NIS 19.90 or another amount will be charged, as will change from time to time according to the max.
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