El Al is Israel’s national carrier, flying from Tel Aviv to Europe, North America and, increasingly, Asia, on a schedule that stops entirely for Shabbat (flights to Israel).
Latest El Al updates
Last updated: 12 August 2026.
El Al fares right now
Wego pulled cheapest return economy fares on fully El Al-operated itineraries out of Tel Aviv, for departures on 22 September 2026 returning 29 September 2026, sampled 11 August 2026, in US dollars. Itineraries using a partner airline for any leg were excluded, so these are prices for flying end to end on El Al.
Two routes we also checked, Frankfurt and Los Angeles, returned no all-El Al itinerary on these specific dates, so they are left out rather than estimated. That is a quirk of one search on one day, not a statement about the network. El Al operates both on its own aircraft and is currently the only carrier flying Tel Aviv to Los Angeles nonstop.
Fares move constantly, so check current El Al fares on Wego for your own dates, whether to London, Paris or New York.
Fleet and aircraft
El Al reported 56 aircraft alongside its second-quarter results, the largest fleet in its history, and it is all Boeing.
- Short and medium-haul: 737-800s and 737-900ERs across Europe and the Middle East.
- Long-haul: 787-8 and 787-9 Dreamliners.
- Six 777-200ERs, being retained rather than retired. All six are moving from 279 to 313 seats with cabins aligned to the 787 product, due to finish by the end of the first quarter of 2027.
On order sit more 787-9s, part of that order converted to the larger 787-10 for the early 2030s, and up to 31 737 MAX jets, 20 firm and 11 on option, with deliveries from 2028.
Hubs, network and route map
El Al runs a single hub-and-spoke network from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, where it carried 50.2% of all traffic in the second quarter of 2026, up from 39.6% a year earlier. London, Paris, Rome and Athens are among its densest European markets.
North America is the strongest long-haul region, with a winter 2026-27 schedule covering six US cities: New York, Newark, Boston, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco from 25 October 2026. Buenos Aires follows on 29 November 2026.
Asia is newer and still filling in. Bangkok flies today, Hanoi is due from late October 2026 and Seoul Incheon from 27 March 2027. Manila has been announced and would be the first nonstop link between Israel and the Philippines, but it remains subject to regulatory approval on the Philippine side with no firm start date.
Cabins and onboard product
El Al sells three cabins. Economy and Business run across the fleet, including on the 737s that fly European and regional routes. Between them sits Premium Class, carried on the 787 Dreamliners and on upgraded 777s rather than fleet-wide, so check the aircraft before you count on it.
Within Economy the fare family matters as much as the cabin. Economy Lite treats a checked bag as a paid add-on and offers the least flexibility, while Classic and Flex add allowance and rebooking flexibility at a higher price.
Baggage allowance and check-in
Checked baggage is set by fare and cabin rather than by a single flat rule, and El Al lets passengers buy extra pieces on top of whatever the fare includes.
Those weights are the ceiling for a standard piece rather than a refusal line. A bag between 23kg and 32kg, or between 158cm and 277cm, is normally still accepted for an excess fee. Only above 32kg or 277cm does a piece leave standard baggage and need arranging with El Al’s cargo division.
One quirk is worth knowing before you pack. On Europe and UAE routes, Economy Lite passengers hand that cabin bag over at check-in or the gate rather than carry it on. The allowance does not change, only where the bag travels. Elite Matmid members are exempt and US routes are unaffected.
El Al rebuilt its website during 2026 and its older baggage pages no longer resolve, so the figures above come from published fare information rather than a live airline page. Confirm what is attached to your own ticket at booking.
One practical note specific to this airline: security screening for international departures at Ben Gurion starts well ahead of the flight, so arriving early matters more here than at most airports.
Loyalty programme
El Al’s frequent flyer programme is Matmid, which passed 3.7 million members in 2026. Earning is based on the price of the ticket excluding taxes rather than on distance flown, under rules in force since 1 April 2025.
Tier status runs Matmid, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Top Platinum, set by a separate currency called Diamonds, earned at roughly one Diamond per US dollar of ticket price.
Points stay valid for 18 months. That clock resets if a member earns a point on an El Al flight, or spends at least NIS 5,000 in a month on an affiliated FLY CARD, and points are deleted if neither happens.
How to contact El Al and manage a booking
Bookings, seat selection, check-in and most schedule changes run through El Al’s own website and app rather than by phone in most markets. Name corrections, refunds, group bookings and complaints go through the customer service channels listed on its site.
One operational fact is worth building into any itinerary. El Al does not run scheduled passenger flights on Shabbat or on Jewish religious holidays, under a policy reinstated by a Knesset vote in 1982, which in practice closes the schedule from Friday afternoon until Saturday night.
It affects new bookings and rebooking after disruption alike, so anyone connecting through Tel Aviv over a weekend should leave extra buffer.
Frequently asked questions
Does El Al fly on Shabbat?
No scheduled passenger flights operate on Shabbat or on Jewish religious holidays, under a policy reinstated by a Knesset vote in 1982, which in practice closes the schedule from Friday afternoon until Saturday night. The airline has broken it only in exceptional circumstances, notably in October 2023 to carry reservists to Israel. Travellers connecting through Tel Aviv over a weekend should build in extra time.
Are foreign airlines flying to Tel Aviv again?
Increasingly, yes. Lufthansa, ITA Airways and Air France resumed during July 2026, SWISS, Brussels Airlines and Condor followed on 1 August, KLM restarts on 25 August and United returns to Newark on 8 September. That matters for fares: El Al’s recent profitability leaned heavily on those carriers being absent.
What new routes is El Al launching?
San Francisco resumes on 25 October 2026, Hanoi opens from late October, Buenos Aires starts on 29 November as the airline’s longest nonstop, and Seoul Incheon follows on 27 March 2027. Manila has been announced as a third new Asian route but still needs regulatory approval and has no firm date.
What is El Al’s baggage allowance?
It depends on fare and cabin. The standard checked piece is 23kg and up to 158cm, rising to two 32kg pieces in Business, and Economy Lite treats a checked bag as a paid add-on. Going over 23kg or 158cm means an excess fee rather than a refusal, up to 32kg and 277cm.
Is El Al part of an airline alliance?
No. El Al is not a member of Star Alliance, SkyTeam or oneworld. It connects into partner networks through bilateral codeshare agreements, including one with airBaltic covering Riga and ten onward European cities since 1 July 2026.
What aircraft does El Al fly?
An all-Boeing fleet of 56 aircraft as of mid-2026: 737-800s and 737-900ERs on short and medium-haul routes, 787-8 and 787-9 Dreamliners on long-haul, and six 777-200ERs currently being retrofitted rather than retired. Up to 31 737 MAX jets are on order from 2028.
Sources
- The Times of Israel (Q2 2026 net income, revenue and forward bookings)
- Aviation Direct (Operation Roaring Lion charge and the underlying quarterly profit)
- Globes (third-quarter capacity guidance)
- TravelDailyNews (fleet of 56 aircraft, Matmid membership and Ben Gurion traffic share)
- Aviation Week (Buenos Aires start date, block time and the government route subsidy)
- The Times of Israel (United resuming Newark to Tel Aviv on 8 September 2026)
- The Jerusalem Post (KLM restarting Amsterdam to Tel Aviv on 25 August 2026 via Larnaca)
- Travel Tomorrow (SWISS, Brussels Airlines, Condor and Lufthansa resuming Tel Aviv service)
- Ynet (ticket sales opening for Buenos Aires and Seoul)
- Russia Tourism News (airBaltic codeshare announcement and the full ten-city list from Riga)
- AeroRoutes (codeshare taking effect 1 July 2026 and the reciprocal BT code)
- AirlineGeeks (San Francisco resuming 25 October 2026 and the six-city US winter network)
- The Saigon Times (Hanoi service from late October 2026)
- AeroRoutes (Seoul Incheon from 27 March 2027)
- JNS (Manila announced as a third new Asian route)
- AvGeek Philippines (Manila route still subject to Philippine regulatory approval)
- Aviation A2Z (all six 777-200ERs being retrofitted to 313 seats by Q1 2027)
- Globes (additional 787-9 options and the 787-10 conversion for the early 2030s)
- Boeing (order for up to 31 737 MAX jets, 20 firm and 11 options)
- FlightConnections (El Al as the only nonstop operator between Tel Aviv and Los Angeles)
- El Al (Matmid programme regulations: tier names, revenue-based earning and the 18-month points expiry)
- The Jewish Chronicle (the October 2023 exception to the Shabbat flight ban)
- Wego fare data, sampled 11 August 2026
The information in this article is accurate as of 12 August 2026. Airline schedules, fares, baggage rules and route plans change frequently, so confirm details with El Al or on Wego before you book or travel.
