New blankets and pillows, luxury amenity kits, chocolates in unexpected flavors, upgraded menus and even new scents in the cabin: At a press event Monday, El Al unveiled a series of changes to its in-flight experience, which will be introduced gradually beginning in November. The upgrades also include a dedicated entertainment category for religious passengers, the ability to resume watching a movie from where passengers left off on a previous flight and, eventually, free high-speed internet. However, not all upgrades will be available on every flight, and some will be reserved exclusively for premium-class passengers.
The initiative, which El Al says involves a substantial financial investment, is designed to improve the passenger experience across all three cabin classes: economy, premium economy and business. It includes new bedding, revised menus, partnerships with Israeli and international brands and upgraded digital services. The changes come as the airline expands its fleet, including the purchase of six Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
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El Al Dreamliner: The airline is refreshing its lineup of passenger perks
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One of the main changes involves the in-flight sleeping experience. Through a partnership with Israeli textile brand TAKEANAP, blankets and pillows will be replaced across all three cabin classes. According to the airline, the new products were developed specifically for El Al passengers and include blankets tailored to each cabin class and soft, down-like pillows.
Business-class passengers will receive more extensive upgrades, including memory foam pillows that adapt to the shape of the head and neck and incorporate cooling technology. On flights to North America, El Al will also become the first Israeli airline to offer mattress toppers, soft layers placed over seats to create a more comfortable sleeping surface. Pajamas, slippers and a calming fragrance spray will complete the sleeping experience.
The new sleep kit developed in partnership with TAKEANAP
(Photo: El Al Spokesperson's Office)
Pajamas included in the new sleep kit
(Photo: El Al Spokesperson's Office)
The new seat cover developed with TAKEANAP for business-class passengers
(Photo: El Al Spokesperson's Office)
El Al's new premium-class amenity kit, created in partnership with Jo Malone London
(Photo: El Al Spokesperson's Office)
Another upgrade for premium-class passengers comes through a partnership with British fragrance brand Jo Malone London. Passengers will receive new amenity kits, available in approximately 10 colors and containing items including socks, eye masks and personal hygiene products.
In business class, passengers will receive more luxurious kits in leather pouches containing the brand's skincare and fragrance products. On long-haul flights, the kits will also include perfume and hand and body cream. The partnership will extend beyond the personal amenity kits, with Jo Malone fragrances also being introduced into the aircraft cabin.
There are changes in store for passengers with a sweet tooth as well. Business-class travelers will be offered chocolate assortments from Israeli brand De Karina, based in Kibbutz Ein Zivan in the Golan Heights. Developed specifically for El Al, the collections will feature chocolates in a variety of flavors, including sweet and savory combinations. According to the airline, the new chocolate selection will be served as part of the welcome service on long-haul flights.
El Al is also introducing an upgraded in-flight entertainment system with new personalization features. Passengers will be able to receive content recommendations based on their viewing preferences and resume watching a movie or television series from where they left off on a previous flight.
The new in-flight entertainment system
(Photo: El Al Spokesperson's Office)
The new in-flight entertainment system
The new system will also allow passengers to log in to their frequent flyer accounts directly from their seats, view personal information and carry out travel-related activities.
The new entertainment system will remember where passengers stopped watching a movie, offer personalized recommendations and introduce a dedicated content category for religious travelers for the first time. As for free high-speed internet, passengers will have to wait until 2027.
Another addition is a dedicated content category for religious passengers, a feature previously unavailable in the airline's entertainment system. The category will include programming tailored to observant Jewish travelers. A new interface designed for children will also be introduced.
The airline's in-flight menus are also getting an overhaul. In economy class on short-haul flights to Europe, passengers will be able to choose between a sandwich and a poke bowl, a dish typically consisting of rice with various toppings.
The new poke bowl to be served in economy class on short-haul flights
(Photo: El Al Spokesperson's Office)
In premium cabins, new menus and serving ware will be introduced under the direction of chef Assaf Granit. According to the airline, the menus were developed in collaboration with a dietitian and will emphasize healthy, protein-rich dishes. Nutritional information will be displayed alongside each dish, allowing passengers to make choices according to their preferences. Premium-class passengers will also have a wider selection of dishes, along with a dessert cart.
One of the most significant upgrades for passengers, however, will not arrive until next year. El Al announced that it will begin introducing Starlink satellite internet service aboard its aircraft in 2027.
The service is expected to provide high-speed internet connectivity during flights, allowing passengers to stream content, work remotely and browse websites. On flights equipped with the service, internet access will be free, subject to the terms of use. However, the rollout will be gradual, meaning the service will not be immediately available across the airline's entire fleet.
Outside the aircraft, El Al is upgrading its mobile app with a new feature called "Travel Mode," which will become available 48 hours before departure and bring together relevant information passengers need ahead of their flights.
In addition, the Live Activities feature will allow passengers to receive real-time updates directly on their phone screens without having to open the app each time.
The upgraded digital travel experience
(Photo: El Al Spokesperson's Office)
Another addition is "Ella," an AI-powered customer service representative. The new service is designed to provide initial responses to customer inquiries, display information from bookings, assist with various actions and direct customers to the appropriate representative when necessary.
Nadav Hanin, El Al's vice president of marketing and digital, said: "Two fundamental principles guide us at El Al: uncompromising safety and security, alongside an ongoing commitment to improving the flight experience and adapting it to our customers' needs."
He added: "The expansion of the premium products we are launching today is intended to provide additional value to our customers, strengthen their loyalty and maintain the company's standards over time."