Airlines Launch New Winter Routes and Budget Flights

Blue Bird Airways has announced it will offer direct flights from Tel Aviv to Heraklion, Crete, throughout the winter season for the first time. Previously, direct flights to Crete from Israel were primarily seasonal, with winter travelers typically requiring connecting flights. Tickets for these new winter flights will start at 65 euros one-way, and the airline, part of the Kofim Holidays group, also plans to offer short weekend vacation packages to Crete, including two nights in a five-star hotel, starting at 299 euros per person. These packages will focus on urban tourism in Heraklion, a city active year-round, rather than summer beach holidays. The service aims to benefit tourists, Israelis living in Crete, and business travelers who previously relied on connecting flights.

These flights are scheduled to commence on October 25, with introductory fares as low as 79 shekels one-way. Initially, Air Haifa will operate two daily flights in each direction, increasing to three daily flights in November. The flights will use ATR 72-600 aircraft and have a flight duration of approximately one hour. Basic ticket prices include a personal bag, with additional charges for carry-on trolleys and checked luggage. The airline allows changes or cancellations up to 24 hours before departure, offering credit for future flights valid for two years instead of a cash refund.

This new Tel Aviv-Eilat route is not Air Haifa's first venture on this path; the airline previously operated flights on this route in September 2024 due to security concerns in the north, charging 99 shekels one-way. Air Haifa is entering a competitive market, as Israir also holds a subsidized contract to operate flights between TLV and Ramon, offering Eilat residents tickets at 99 shekels one-way. This expansion marks nearly two years since Air Haifa began its commercial operations, during which it has transported approximately 600,000 passengers on about 10,000 flights.