Consumers are accustomed to earning points by using credit cards. This is the case in Israel as well but many have come to learn that the points in Israel are more or less worthless, and be that what it may, the point system as it exists in Israel today is being eliminated. Hence, the points that one has will simply vanish in the near future. This is true for Visa Cal, Isracard and Leumi Card.
Expert Ronen Regev told Channel 2 evening news that the points were intended to blind consumers; diverting their attention to the value of points and available gifts instead of checking how much interest is being charged and payment schedules.
Officials report that Visa Cal has at least 40 million NIS outstanding points, and Leumi at least 41 million NIS – meaning these points were given to card holders but they were never redeemed.
As the credit card companies prepare to eliminate the points being held by card holders, Naftali Michaeli of Yad Sarah urges card holders to please call to donate the points to the tzedaka organization while they can still cash them in – promising the money generated from the points will be used to purchase wheelchairs.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
If you call up CAL directly, and get a diners platinum card attached to the High Miles program, then you will receive 1 ELAL point for each 300 nis you spend. After a few months you can even ask them to cancell the 13 nis per month dmei nihul fee.
I calculate that each ELAL point is worth approximately half a dollar. So if you spend 5,000 nis a month on the card, then after 2 years you will have approximately 400 points, which you could sell for $200 on http://www.israelpoints.com I don’t believe that you can get better value for this on Israeli credit cards. But very important, you need to call CAL (don’t get the card through your bank). CAL’s number is: 03-5726444 Behatzlacha
The points here are worthless, just tranfered 3500 points from american express to elal and got a couple of hunred points for them. Elal points are hard to accumlate, to get a free ticket from elal u need to fly a lot, luftansa on the other hand have great point system and loads of partners, we didn’t move to israel for points…..
Can anyone post details as to how to go about doing this?
To Yael.e:
Is the process not clear from the above posts ?
Uri – I’m not stupid; I posted my comment before yours was visible.
Thanks for the information anyway.
Yael.e: I am the stupid one – sorry for insulting you.
Uri, I admire your humble response, and your apology is wholeheartedly accepted.