El Al Relaunches Direct Flights to San Francisco, Adds New Routes

El Al Israel Airlines resumed its direct flight route between Tel Aviv and San Francisco on Sunday, a service initially announced in January. The flights will operate three times weekly on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, utilizing the airline's Dreamliner aircraft. The journey is expected to take approximately 15 hours, making it one of El Al's longest routes. Passengers will have access to three service classes: economy, premium economy, and business.

In addition to the San Francisco route, El Al plans to expand its network with two new destinations. Flights to Buenos Aires, Argentina, are slated to begin in November, with a flight duration of around 16 hours, which will become the airline's longest route. A new route to South Korea is scheduled to launch in March 2027, with three weekly flights.

Foreign airlines are also preparing to return to Israel. British Airways is expected to restart its direct flights between Tel Aviv and London with daily service after an eight-month hiatus, increasing travel options to the British capital. Spanish airline Iberia is also set to resume flights between Tel Aviv and Madrid, operated by its subsidiary Iberia Express. These flights will be daily but will include a technical stop in Athens for a crew change, without passengers disembarking.

The expansion of El Al's operations and the planned return of foreign carriers signal changes in flight schedules for the coming months. However, the exact return dates and schedules for foreign airlines may be subject to change, and travelers are advised to verify updated flight details with the airlines before booking.