In addition, Sun d’Or, El Al’s subsidiary, will operate direct flights to Catania in Sicily, Cagliari in Sardinia, Basel, Zagreb, Dubrovnik and Copenhagen.
The new routes will be launched gradually during 2026 and 2027. “After about three years in which the company focused on expanding its flight schedule, with an emphasis on core destinations in Asia, North America and Europe, to serve as Israel’s air bridge to the world, El Al is moving to the next stage of growth and expansion,” the company said in a statement.
Flights to Vietnam, Seoul and Manila will operate three times a week to each destination. “Beyond meeting tourism demand, the new routes will provide an optimal solution for business travelers and strengthen economic ties between Israel and Asia,” El Al said. The airline added that, alongside the direct routes, it will offer onward connections to additional destinations across the continent through partnerships with multiple airlines.
The flights will be operated using El Al’s advanced Dreamliner aircraft, featuring three service classes: economy, premium and business.
Ticket sales for Hanoi will open Sunday afternoon on the company’s website and through travel agents, for flights beginning in October 2026, with round-trip fares starting at $899. Sales for Seoul are expected to begin in May for flights launching in March 2027. Details regarding ticket sales for Manila will be announced at a later date.
Touring Vietnam
(Video: Guy Bar-On)
“At the same time as its expansion in the East, Sun d’Or, part of the El Al Group, which in recent years has consistently refreshed and added short-haul leisure destinations, is now announcing six new destinations, joining Salzburg, Naples and Varna, which were announced recently,” El Al said.
Italy will continue to feature prominently, with flights to Catania in Sicily and Cagliari in Sardinia. They will be joined by Basel in Switzerland, Zagreb and Dubrovnik in Croatia. For the first time since 2001, El Al will return to Copenhagen, with Sun d’Or operating direct flights to the Danish capital.
Round-trip fares are set to start at $339 for Sardinia and Croatia, $389 for Sicily, $439 for Basel and $529 for Copenhagen. Ticket sales for Sun d’Or destinations will also open Sunday via El Al’s website and travel agents.
“The new destinations join El Al’s existing route network and significantly enhance the company’s destination map,” the statement said. “El Al is expected to operate about 60 direct destinations to and from Israel, an unprecedented number in the company’s history.”
Alongside the launch of the new routes, El Al is expanding activity on its core destinations and increasing frequencies on its most in-demand routes. In North America, the airline is operating the largest schedule in its history, with up to 55 weekly flights. This in addition to expanded service to the Far East amid strong demand, including up to five weekly flights to Japan and 16 weekly flights to Thailand, as well as growth across key European destinations.
Overall, El Al is expected to operate about 900 weekly flights worldwide. As part of the expansion of its route network and the deepening of its growth strategy, the company is also expected to announce additional partnerships with leading international airlines. These partnerships are intended to enable convenient and flexible connections, broaden onward destination options and strengthen El Al’s global presence.
Sun d’Or is not the only airline set to launch a direct route to Sicily. Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air announced last week that it will begin operating a direct route from Israel to Palermo, the capital of western Sicily, starting July 27.
The route will operate three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, with tickets already on sale starting at 149 shekels one way. The new service joins the Catania route launched about two weeks ago and expands the airline’s operations in Italy to six direct routes from Israel.