Israel’s national carrier, El Al Airlines, has announced plans to begin direct flights between Tel Aviv and Melbourne in June 2024.
The route was originally set to launch in 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic changed that plan and many others as well.
The plan includes three flights a week using the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Estimated flight time will be 15 hours.
The airline this week signed a Letter of Intent with the Victorian Government, which is supporting the initiative.
“We look forward to launching our first ever non-stop flights to Melbourne as we position Victoria as Israel’s gateway to Australia,” El Al CEO Dina Ben Tal Ganancia said in a statement.
“More international flights to such an important trading partner will power our economy and boost our status as a key destination for tourism, trade and investment,” added Victoria’s Industry and Innovation Minister Ben Carroll.
There are strong Jewish communities both in Melbourne and Sydney, and because El Al is a code share partner with Qantas Airline, El Al flights can earn and be booked using Qantas points.
