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EL AL, Israel’s flag carrier, is expanding in South Florida.
Back in 2017, the airline began nonstop flights between its base in Tel Aviv (TLV) and Miami (MIA). Evidently, the route has been successful for the airline, as it’s boosting service between the 2 cities and will begin a brand-new route between Tel Aviv and Fort Lauderdale (FLL), located only about 30 miles north of Miami.
Here’s what you need to know about EL AL’s growth in South Florida.
In a press release, EL AL announced that it will begin nonstop flights between Tel Aviv and Fort Lauderdale as well as increase service on its existing Miami route. The move comes after the airline relocated its U.S. headquarters from New York to Margate, Florida, which lies about 15 miles to the northwest of Fort Lauderdale.
Initially, flights will be offered on a limited basis on the following days only:
The airline says this is to accommodate the increase in travel to Israel surrounding the Jewish High Holidays — Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur — that occur in the fall.
And then, beginning in “Spring 2024” — the exact date is unknown at this point — EL AL will begin year-round service between Tel Aviv and Fort Lauderdale.
“EL AL’s new service between FLL and Tel Aviv will help to boost business, tourism, and trade opportunities between the Middle East and Broward County. We’re excited to welcome Israel’s national airline to Broward County’s FLL and look forward to a mutually successful partnership,” said Lamar Fisher, Mayor of Broward County.
In addition to the brand-new Fort Lauderdale service, EL AL will boost its existing Miami service to 6 weekly flights beginning May 25, 2023.
Flights between Miami and Tel Aviv will operate according to the following schedule:
All EL AL flights to/from Florida will be operated by the carrier’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, of which it has 2 variants.
The smaller 787-8 has 20 lie-flat seats arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration in business class, 35 recliner seats in a 2-3-2 configuration in premium economy (EL AL calls it Premium Class), and 183 seats in a 3-3-3 configuration in economy.
The larger 787-9 has 32 lie-flat seats in business class, 28 recliner seats in premium economy, and 222 seats in economy. The configurations are the same as what’s found on the -8 variant.
Hot Tip: EL AL announced last year that it would update its Boeing 777 fleet to bring it in line with the offering found on the much more modern 787 fleet.
EL AL has found success in South Florida — and it’s hardly a surprise. The region is home to a significant Jewish-American population, with plentiful ties to Israel.
With additional service on the Miami route and all-new service to Fort Lauderdale, flyers will have more options than ever before for convenient itineraries between South Florida and Israel.
