Money at Ben Gurion Airport (TLV)
Currency, tipping and cash-vs-card for arrivals at Tel Aviv, Israel.
Tel Aviv uses the ILS (₪). Expected airport→city taxi fare is roughly ILS 18–ILS 180. Card accepted; insist on the meter, not a flat quote.
Airport currency kiosks quote rates 5–15% worse than any bank ATM inside the terminal. If you need cash on landing, use an in-terminal bank ATM — not the "0% commission" kiosks (the margin is in the rate).
Frequently asked
Q.What currency is used at Ben Gurion Airport (TLV)?
Israel uses the ILS (₪). Airport ATMs dispense ILS directly — skip the exchange kiosks.
Q.How much should a taxi from TLV to the city cost?
Expected fare on the TLV → Central TLV route is roughly ILS 18–ILS 180. Around ILS 220+ is already high, and ILS 280+ off-flat is a scam quote — confirm the meter or a printed rate before you get in.
Q.Do I tip taxi drivers at TLV?
Not expected. Drivers in Israel don't rely on tips the way US drivers do; inflated "tips" are sometimes used to justify an overcharge — pay the metered fare first, then decide.
Q.Cash or card for a taxi at TLV?
Card accepted; insist on the meter, not a flat quote. "Card machine broken" is the most common excuse to force a cash overpay — carry a small stack of ILS notes and you keep the leverage.
Q.Should I change money at TLV?
Only if you need $10–20 of ILS to cover a taxi or a SIM card. Airport exchange kiosks quote 5–15% worse than a bank ATM in the same terminal. If your card has no FX fee, just pay by card and skip cash entirely.
Every transport option ranked, fare tiers, first-30-minute checklist and reported scams.