Which Airlines Have Already Returned to Israel and Which Plan to Return Soon?

Getting Organized: Which Airlines Have Already Returned to Israel and Which Plan to Return Soon?

Israel’s aviation industry is starting to wake up again after long months of flight cancellations by foreign airlines caused by the war. The ceasefire agreement, signed on November 26, opens the way for significant improvement, with airlines that have already resumed operations and others aiming to resume flights soon.

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Airlines That Have Already Returned to Ben Gurion

1. Azerbaijan Airlines The airline was the first to resume operations after the agreement. On November 30 it already restored the Tel Aviv–Baku route, marking the start of the return to routine.
2. Aegean Airlines The Greek airline resumed its flights on December 10, after an absence of about three months. The airline operates 11 weekly flights on the Tel Aviv–Athens route, alongside 5 more flights to Larnaca. Aegean joins the existing competition on the popular Athens route, where airlines such as El Al, Israir, Arkia and Blue Bird operate.
3. Other airlines active in Israel Airlines such as TUS Airways (to Sofia, Vienna and Larnaca), TAROM (Bucharest) and Cyprus Airways (daily flights to Larnaca) continue to operate scheduled routes.

Airlines Planning to Resume Flights Soon

1. Air Europa The Spanish airline is expected to return to Israel on December 18 and resume the Madrid route. 6 weekly flights are planned on advanced Dreamliner aircraft.
2. Wizz Air The Hungarian low-cost airline will gradually resume operations from December 20, with the Tel Aviv–Larnaca route operating 4 weekly flights in the first stage. Expansion to additional routes is planned for January.
3. Bulgaria Air The airline will resume operating in Israel on December 26, with 2 weekly flights increasing to 3 in January and later to a higher frequency.
4. Air Seychelles The airline will return on January 8 with 2 weekly flights on the Seychelles–Tel Aviv route, one of which will continue to Mauritius.
5. LOT Polish Airlines The Polish airline plans to return to Israel on December 21, on condition that the Tibi Law on flight cancellations is sorted out. The airline is expected to start with a daily flight to Warsaw and increase frequency to two daily flights in January 2025.
6. Today (Thursday), Beez Air of Romania announced its return starting next week, on December 16.

Leading Airlines That Kept Operating in Israel During the War

1. Fly Dubai The Emirati airline barely stopped operating during the war and currently operates 8 weekly flights on the Tel Aviv–Dubai route.
2. Ethiopian Airlines The Ethiopian airline is increasing its operations and runs 17 weekly flights on the Tel Aviv–Addis Ababa route.
3. Etihad Airways The Emirati aviation giant continues to operate flights to Tel Aviv and is increasing frequency to 19 weekly flights from December 15.
4. Blue Bird Airways The Greek airline, under Israeli ownership, offers a range of flights to popular destinations such as Athens, Larnaca, Budapest, Berlin and Prague at good prices.
5. Smartwings The Czech airline operated for most of the war and continued its flights to Prague.

An Optimistic Look Ahead

While many airlines are still waiting for conditions to improve, the returning airlines point to a clear recovery trend. If the trend continues, we can expect more active routes that will restore Israel’s broad global connectivity.

The information was gathered from various online sources. It’s recommended to verify updates with the airlines or Ben Gurion Airport.

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