Tel Aviv to Tbilisi is one of Israel’s favourite short-haul escapes — a little over two and a half hours to a city of sulphur baths, hillside wine bars and prices that stretch a shekel a long way. After a stretch of disruption when many carriers paused Ben Gurion service during the regional conflict, the route is running strongly again in 2026, flown nonstop several times a day by Israeli airlines and Georgian Airways.
Route: Tel Aviv (TLV, Ben Gurion) → Tbilisi (TBS, Tbilisi International)
Distance: ~1,395 km (867 miles)
Non-stop flight time: ~2h 35m
Direct flights: Yes — El Al, Georgian Airways, Israir and Arkia currently operate nonstop (around 24 flights a week between them).
Fares from Tel Aviv to Tbilisi (ILS)
This is a competitive short hop with multiple daily departures, so fares stay reasonable outside the busy periods. The cheapest seats cluster in the deep off-season (late autumn and winter), while summer and the Jewish holiday windows — Passover in spring, Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot in early autumn — push prices to their yearly highs. Booking a few weeks ahead and staying flexible on dates does most of the work.
| Month | Demand | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | Low |
| February | — | Low |
| March | — | Moderate |
| April | — | High (Passover) |
| May | — | Moderate |
| June | — | High |
| July | — | Peak (summer) |
| August | — | Peak (summer) |
| September | — | High (holidays) |
| October | — | High (Sukkot) |
| November | — | Low |
| December | — | Moderate |
Checked against every return fare on sale as we write: the floor is ₪ 650 and the median ₪ 702, with El Al carrying nine in ten of the cheap fares at ₪ 650 – ₪ 1,353. So a nonstop return around ₪ 700 is the ordinary price and under about ₪ 670 is a genuinely good one — there is nothing in the five hundreds to wait for. The Athens connection on Aegean ran ₪ 1,111 – ₪ 1,219, well above the direct. Fares on this route move sharply with demand, so always check the live price.
Airlines on this route
Direct is the norm here — the route is short enough that few travellers bother connecting unless it saves real money.
- El Al — Nonstop. Israel’s flag carrier, the most frequent full-service option with the widest schedule.
- Georgian Airways — Nonstop. Georgia’s flag carrier, back on the route in 2026 and often the value pick among the full-service flights.
- Israir — Nonstop. Israeli carrier, several weekly departures, competitive on lead-in fares.
- Arkia — Nonstop. Israeli carrier rounding out the near-daily choice from Ben Gurion.
One-stop (occasionally cheaper):
- Wizz Air — No current TLV–Tbilisi nonstop. Wizz resumed Tel Aviv flying in 2026 but on routes to Europe; its Georgian base is Kutaisi (KUT), so a Wizz trip to Tbilisi means connecting — only worth it if the total price clearly beats a direct.
- Turkish Airlines / Pegasus — One-stop via Istanbul. Rarely cheaper than the nonstops, but a fallback if direct dates are sold out.
When to book & how to save
- Book roughly 3–8 weeks out for the best nonstop fares; last-minute seats on this leisure route climb fast.
- Avoid Passover, the July–August peak and the Rosh Hashanah/Sukkot window if you can — shifting a week either side often halves the fare.
- Compare all four nonstop carriers; on any given date the cheapest flips between Georgian Airways, Israir and Arkia.
- Check bag rules before you compare headline prices — Israir and Arkia lead-in fares can be hand-baggage-only, so add a checked bag before deciding what’s actually cheapest.
- Mid-week departures (Tuesday/Wednesday) are usually softer than Thursday–Sunday, and a one-stop routing is only worth it when it clearly beats the 2.5-hour direct.
Arriving in Tbilisi
Flights land at Tbilisi International Airport (TBS), Georgia’s main gateway, about 17 km southeast of the centre. Options into town:
- Taxi / ride-hail (Bolt): ~20–30 minutes to the centre, roughly ₪ 40 – ₪ 60 depending on traffic and time of day.
- Airport bus (route 337): runs to Freedom Square in the centre for a couple of shekels’ worth of fare — slow but by far the cheapest.
- Train: a few scheduled services link the airport to Tbilisi Central for a nominal fare, handy if the timing lines up.
Note that many late-night arrivals land after midnight, so pre-book a ride or confirm your hotel’s airport pickup.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the flight from Tel Aviv to Tbilisi?
The nonstop flight takes about 2 hours and 35 minutes for the roughly 1,395 km hop. With boarding, taxi and the two-hour Ben Gurion check-in guidance, budget around four to five hours door-to-gate-to-gate. One-stop routings via Istanbul run six hours or more.
Are there direct flights from Tel Aviv to Tbilisi?
Yes. As of 2026 the route is served nonstop by El Al, Georgian Airways, Israir and Arkia, with around 24 flights a week between them. Service was disrupted during the regional conflict, but the direct flights are running normally again — still check the live schedule, as timetables have shifted through the year.
How much does a flight from Tel Aviv to Tbilisi cost?
Across the dates we could price, nonstop returns ran ₪ 650 – ₪ 1,353 with a median of ₪ 702. The bottom of that range is the winter low season; summer and the Jewish holidays push toward the top and beyond. The one-stop alternative via Athens was ₪ 1,111 – ₪ 1,219, dearer than flying direct. Fares move with demand, so always check the live price before booking.
What is the cheapest month to fly to Tbilisi?
The deep off-season — roughly November through February — is cheapest. In the dates we could price, returns in those months started at ₪ 650 and mostly sat in the ₪ 650–850 band. Late autumn and mid-winter also mean fewer crowds in Tbilisi. Just steer clear of Passover, high summer, and the early-autumn holiday period, when prices peak.
Which airlines fly from Tel Aviv to Tbilisi?
El Al, Georgian Airways, Israir and Arkia fly it nonstop; in our fare data El Al carried every direct fare, at ₪ 650 – ₪ 1,353, and the others did not appear among the cheapest when we checked. Wizz Air does not currently run the Tel Aviv–Tbilisi direct — it resumed Tel Aviv service in 2026 on routes to Europe, and its Georgian base is Kutaisi — so a Wizz trip means connecting. Turkish Airlines and Pegasus offer one-stop options via Istanbul; the cheapest connection we found was Aegean via Athens at ₪ 1,111, above the direct.
Which airport does the flight arrive at in Tbilisi?
All flights land at Tbilisi International Airport (TBS), about 17 km southeast of the city centre. It is Georgia’s main international gateway. A taxi or Bolt into town takes 20–30 minutes for roughly ₪ 40–60; the 337 bus and an airport train are cheaper, slower alternatives.
How far in advance should I book?
For the best nonstop fares, book about three to eight weeks ahead. This is a popular leisure route for Israeli travellers, so seats and prices tighten quickly close to departure — especially for summer, Passover and the autumn holidays. If you must travel on peak dates, book as early as you can.
Is it cheaper to fly on certain days of the week?
Usually yes. Mid-week departures, particularly Tuesday and Wednesday, tend to be softer than the Thursday-to-Sunday weekend rush, when demand from short-break travellers is highest. Flexible dates are the single biggest lever on this route — shifting a departure by a day or two can noticeably cut the fare.
Fare guidance based on aifly.one deal tracking and current airline schedules; last reviewed July 2026. Indicative economy returns — check the live fare before booking.
