Participating in the Birthright Israel program with Yael Adventures is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the Holy Land and connect with Jewish culture, history, and tradition. But for some, the 10-day trip is not enough. If you're wondering if you can stay in Israel after Birthright, the answer is yes, but there are a few things to keep in mind.
One of the most important things to consider when planning to stay in Israel is to extend your flight before you depart. Although some airlines permit flight extensions to be made in Israel, it can be a time-consuming process, and seats are limited. Therefore, we urge our participants to extend their tickets before departing rather than waiting until they arrive in Israel.
First and foremost, in order to extend your trip you must have accepted your official Birthright Trip Offer.
To extend your flight before your trip, you must contact Gil Travel (https://forms.giltravel.com/br/). They require 15 business days before your departure to process your trip extension request.
Once you're on the ground in Israel, you can contact the airline directly to make an extension. Here's what the airline needs to process your request:
Your E-ticket number
Passenger Name Record (PNR)
List of desired return dates
Credit card information
A local telephone number in Israel
Your email address
It's important to keep in mind that extensions are not guaranteed and can be expensive. It's best not to plan post-trip travel until you've reserved a new return flight. Extensions can be made for up to 90 days maximum, and stopovers are not permitted.
Another option is to cancel your return flight and plan the return flight to your home country on your own. You must notify us in advance or you may lose your $250 deposit. Forfeiting your return flight is different from extending your return flight. By forfeiting your return ticket you will be canceling your return flight altogether and will be responsible for arranging your own flight home from Israel. To forfeit the return flight in the Birthright Israel App:
You can now cancel your own return flight from the Participant App
Return flights can be cancelled after departure from the home country and up to 48 hours before the return flight from Israel to avoid losing your deposit
Cancel Return Flight option is on the following screen and flows as follows:
Clicking on CANCEL MY RETURN FLIGHT opens a Pop Up mini window for you to follow and confirm the action.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL LAW: Your passports must be valid for 6 months from your final scheduled day in Israel. No exceptions! You must fly with the group from the scheduled gateway airport. If you change your trip AFTER booking your extension, your extension will be forfeited.
It's also important to note that your passport must be valid for six months from your final scheduled day in Israel, and you must fly with the group from the scheduled gateway airport. If you change your trip after booking your extension, your extension will be forfeited.
In conclusion, while it is possible to stay in Israel after Birthright, it's essential to plan ahead. It's also important to understand the rules and regulations of airlines and that Birthright Israel is not responsible for extensions processed with Gil Travel or with the airlines. Extensions are the individual's responsibility.
See all of the most up-to-date information on extensions here
Now that you've got a taste of some of the places you'd be staying at, let's get you on a trip!
If you still have more questions, feel free to check out our FAQs page.
Otherwise, shoot us an email at info@goyael.com for any specific questions!
See you in Israel 🇮🇱
The Yael Adventures Registration Team