How to travel to Israel on a tight budget?
There are some shuttle services from Ovda Airport to Eilat and to Tel Aviv you can find online.
You can also catch an Egged public bus (line 392) from Ovda to Eilat or Be'er Sheva from the road out of the airport (1.2 km \15 min walk) but use google maps to check for the times, and then catch a bus to Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.
** For travelers from both US or Canada and Southeast Asia - Royal Jordanian is a good option to get to Tel Aviv via Amman. If you are short in budget or would enjoy the adventure you can reduce some costs by taking a bus from Amman to The Allenbi\King Hussein Crossing and at the other side of the border catch another bus to Jerusalem.
** For travelers from the US and Canada - WOWair offers cheap flights to Tel Aviv via Reykjavík Iceland.
Until two years ago, it was quite costly to fly to and from Israel.
Fortunately, due to open skies agreements, mostly with the EU, there are now many low-cost airlines flying to Israel from Europe and USA (via Europe) offering significantly lower prices than the conventional airlines. Flights are available to both Ben Gurion Intl. Airport (TLV) near Tel Aviv, and to Ovda Airport (VDA) close to Eilat (about 5 hours by bus to Tel Aviv, but a tremendously cheap destination).
You may need to put some energy and time in searching and comparing, but willing to do so, plus a pinch of creativity and flexibility would help you find some really cheap tickets from many destinations, and to save a lot of money! If you fly from the U.S or from Southeast Asia you may find that direct flights to Tel Aviv (and sometimes even non-direct flights) are pricey, while thinking creatively, it would be easier to find a cheap ticket to Europe from a wide range of companies competing with one another and then to catch a real cheap Ryanair or Wizzair flight to TLV \ VDA.
It's important to book your flights the soonest (yes, even now if possible) and to put your hand on the cheapest seats, the moment the airline has opened the sale.
(You should know though, that many of them are non refundable or interchangeable).
Another transportation issue you should keep in mind is that buses and trains in Israel don't operate during Shabbat (Friday afternoon to Saturday after sunset) and Holidays. Meaning you'll have to use a taxi from the airport which is not very cheap. September is the high season of the Jewish holidays and the reunion is just between Rosh Hashana - the new Jewish year (September 9th sunset time to September 12th after sunset) and Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement (September 18-19). If you do come or leave in one of these days try to share a cab.
In one hand you may find cheaper flights arriving here at Rosh Hashana, because most of the Israelies are coming back home for new year's eve. so demand may drop down, but you may end up paying more for your ride from the airport. Please try to book your flights in accordance.
*Feel free to consult with us. We'll be glad to assist.
Here are links to some low-cost airlines flying to Israel and some good travel meta search engines: