Emirates has revealed that it plans to launch daily flights to Tel Aviv in December. The new route will be a massive step for the airline, as the UAE didn't recognize Israel until just over a year ago, since a peace deal was signed between the two nations in August 2020.

In the months since the peace deal was signed, airlines have been keen to start flights between the two nations, although there was a brief halt in proceedings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that things are settling down, Emirates will join its partner flyDubai with direct flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv.

Emirates eyes Tel Aviv

It's not been well hidden that Emirates was keen to open a route to Tel Aviv following the UAE-Israel peace deal. In March, Simple Flying revealed that the airline had opened a Kosher catering facility, specifically with such flights in mind. Of course, the Kosher catering facility also caters to other flights operated by the airline.

Emirates will begin flying to Tel Aviv on December 6th, operating a daily service to the Israeli city with its Boeing 777-300ER jets. The three-class aircraft will operate as follows,

  • EK 931 - Dubai International (DXB) 14:50 - Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) 16:25 - 03h35m
  • EK 932 - Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) 18:25 - Dubai International (DXB) 23:25 - 03h00m
Emirates, Tel Aviv, Israel
The flight will operate daily in each direction. Photo: Vincenzo Pace - Simple Flying

Commenting on the route launch, Adnan Kazim, Emirates' Chief Commercial Officer, said,

"Emirates is excited to announce Tel Aviv, one of the region’s key gateways, as its newest destination... We would like to thank the UAE and Israeli authorities for their support, and we await the opportunity to serve Israel and open up more prospects for both countries to continue to build a strong relationship while growing business and expanding tourism in the near future."

Already crowded market

It's impressive how quickly the routes between Israel and the United Arab Emirates have flourished. Emirates becomes the 7th airline to schedule flights between the two countries during December, according to aviation data experts Cirium.

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flydubai is the top operator between the two countries, with 248 flights planned for the month or four rotations a day. Emirates revealed that passengers flying between Israel and the UAE would be able to avail of its partnership with flydubai.

Emirates, Tel Aviv, Israel
Six airlines already operate on two routes between the two countries. Photo: Cirium

Israir has 92 flights planned for the month, roughly equating to one and a half rotations a day. Sticking with the direct Dubai to Israel, Arkia (61 flights) and El Al (58 flights) will also compete against Emirates.

To the south of Dubai, Emirates has a couple more competitors. Rival airline Etihad has 14 rotations planned between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv, while Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has seven rotations planned.

Between them, the airlines mentioned above have 501 flights planned between Isreal and the United Arab Emirates in December. When you add Emitates' new daily flight, this increases by around 10% to 553 flights.

What do you make of Emriates' Tel Aviv flight launch? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!