El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (TASE:ELAL) has announced that it will renew flights between Ben Gurion airport and Eilat for the first time in more than 10 years. Starting October 21, El Al will operate two daily flights - one in the morning and one in the evening.
Fares will cost NIS 139 each way with a lite ticket that includes a trolley bag and backpack. Residents of Eilat and the Eilot region can buy government subsidized tickets for NIS 99 each way.
The return to the route is being made at the request of the Ministry of Transport, as part of efforts to increase the frequency of flights on the only domestic route that connects the Red Sea resort to the center of the country. At this stage, operations are expected to continue only during the winter months.
Unprofitable Line
Airlines claims the route to Eilat is unprofitable. Planes are only full during peak season, and holidays, and at other times occupancy is low. Operating flights to Israel's southernmost city, is mainly a vital transportation need for Eilat residents, and is not an attractive proposition from the airlines' perspective. In contrast, international routes offer much higher occupancy rates for Israeli airlines, and constitute a priority focus from a business point of view.
There are currently flights from Terminal 1 at Ben Gurion Airport to Eilat operated by Israir and Arkia, while Air Haifa operates flights to Eilat from Haifa Airport. Arkia operates the largest number of daily flights to Eilat.
Last winter, Arkia warned that due to the lack of profitability of the Eilat route, it planned reducing the frequency of flights.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on August 19, 2025.
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