Earlier this week, the first Israeli carrier to operate a commercial flight into Dubai arrived at Dubai International (DXB). On December 1, 2020, Tuesday, Israeli carrier Israir took its inaugural flight from Tel Aviv to Dubai, WAM News Agency reported.
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At 10:00 am local time on Tuesday, Israir Flight 6H 663 departed from Tel Aviv-Yafo and arrived in DXB at 5:10 pm UAE time. There were 166 passengers on board the flight, making Israir as the newest member to DXB’s ever-expanding airline family. Pretty soon, we can expect more airline companies to introduce flights between the UAE and Israel!
Information for Travelers: UAE-Israel Flights
A few months ago, government leaders of Israel and the UAE signed a peace accord that aims to strengthen relationships between the two countries. It involves the establishment of direct air links between Israel and the UAE, among other initiatives.
On August 31, Israeli carrier El Al arrived at the presidential airport in Abu Dhabi, making it the first direct commercial flight from Israel to the UAE. Flight 971 left Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, carrying a delegation of Israelis and Americans, Gulf Business reported.
Since then, several other airlines have expressed plans to operate flights between the two countries. According to Gulf Business, representatives from El Al, Israir, and Arkia arrived at the corporate offices of Dubai Airports on November 10. They discussed the launching of direct air services between Dubai and Tel Aviv this December, namely:
- El Al – two flights daily, operating Dreamliner and Boeing 787 aircraft;
- Israir – up to 14 weekly flights, operating Airbus A320; and
- Arkia – daily flights, using Embraer E-195 E-Jet aircraft.
Meanwhile, several UAE carriers have also announced plans to operate flights between the two countries. Here is what we know so far regarding flydubai, Etihad, and Emirates:
flydubai
Through a press release, flydubai announced the start of flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv from November 26, 2020. The carrier will operate 14 flights a week, two flights daily between Dubai International (DXB) and Tel Aviv Ben Gurion (TLV), as follows:
- FZ1163 – departs from Dubai at 09:40, arrives in Tel Aviv at 11:35;
- FZ1164 – departs from Tel Aviv at 12:35, arrives in Dubai at 17:45;
- FZ1627 – departs from Dubai at 22:00, arrives in Tel Aviv at 23:55; and
- FZ1628 – departs from Tel Aviv at 00:55, arrives in Dubai at 06:05.
The carrier stated that for Dubai-Tel Aviv flights, Return Economy Class fares are at AED 1,600 and Return Business Class fares are at AED 6,000. Meanwhile, for Tel Aviv-Dubai flights, Return Economy Class fares are at USD 360 and Return Business Class fares are at USD 1,600. Travelers can start booking their flights on flydubai.com.
Etihad
The national airline of the UAE, Etihad, announced through a press release that it will launch daily, year-round flights between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv, starting from March 28, 2021.
Notably, Etihad is the first non-Israeli airline in the region to launch a website dedicated for the Israeli market. The website, which is available in Hebrew and English languages, presents information about Etihad’s operations, network, products, and services. It also includes a travel guide featuring destinations and general information about Abu Dhabi.
Emirates
It has been reported that Dubai-based carrier Emirates has received approval from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv to launch flights starting January 2021. As of this writing, the airlines has yet to announce details about the exact launch dates and flight frequencies, but we can expect to see scheduled flights to Israel pretty soon!
With all of these flight announcements being made, it is clear that the two countries are moving towards a stronger partnership. Through these flight services, citizens and residents of the UAE will be able to visit and explore Israel, and vice versa. Let us stay tuned for further announcements and details, especially in the coming year!
DISCLAIMER: The above guide is presented for information-sharing purposes only. To learn more about flight schedules, fares, and other travel-related information between the UAE and Israel, please visit the official websites of the airlines stated above.
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