Israel’s national carrier El AL has unveiled a sweeping network expansion that for the first time knits Israel directly to Vietnam, South Korea, the Philippines, Switzerland, Croatia, and Denmark in one coordinated move. Announced on February 8–9, 2026, the new routes mark the airline’s largest growth spurt since hostilities erupted in October 2023, signaling both renewed confidence in global travel and a strategic bet on Asia and select European markets. From Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, travelers will soon be able to board nonstop flights to Hanoi, Manila, and Seoul, as well as new and returning routes into central Europe and the Balkans, including Swiss gateways, Croatian hubs, and Copenhagen.
A Strategic Reboot for Israel’s Flagship Airline
For El AL, the decision to open nine new routes in Asia and Europe is more than a network adjustment; it is a symbolic reopening to the world after more than two years of crisis-driven retrenchment. The airline had largely frozen expansion plans following the October 7, 2023 attacks and the subsequent regional conflict. Now, with a ceasefire framework in place and a gradual stabilization of security conditions, management has opted for a bold reentry into growth mode instead of a slower, incremental approach.
Central to this reboot are three long-haul links from Tel Aviv to Vietnam, South Korea, and the Philippines. El AL will operate thrice-weekly flights to Hanoi, Seoul, and Manila using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft in three-class configuration. These widebody jets, which already anchor the airline’s North American services, are being redeployed to capture rising demand for both leisure and business travel across Asia, from tech corridors in Seoul to fast-growing tourism and trade sectors in Vietnam and the Philippines.
In parallel, El AL is deepening its European footprint with new flights to Switzerland and Croatia and a long-awaited return to Denmark via Copenhagen. The airline will serve Swiss and Croatian destinations three times a week, positioning them as entry points for connecting journeys into the Alps, the Adriatic coast, and Central Europe. Copenhagen returns to the schedule for the first time since 2001, restoring a direct link between Israel and Scandinavia at a moment when Israeli tourism to northern Europe is climbing.
Asia in Focus: Hanoi, Manila, and Seoul Take Center Stage
The headline-grabbing portion of El AL’s announcement sits squarely in Asia. Flights to Hanoi, Manila, and Seoul will expand Israel’s direct reach into three dynamic economies that combine strong tourism potential with growing political and commercial ties. Hanoi joins the map as Vietnam’s political and cultural capital, while Manila becomes the first ever nonstop air bridge between Israel and the Philippines. Seoul, which had previously been accessible via Korean Air before service was suspended after October 2023, returns in a new guise under El AL’s own banner.
The Tel Aviv–Manila route is particularly significant. It is the first time Israel and the Philippines have been connected by a direct scheduled flight, slashing travel times that previously required at least one transit through hubs such as Bangkok, Hong Kong, or Dubai. El AL expects the 11-hour westbound journey and just over 12 hours eastbound to appeal to Filipino workers in Israel, Israeli pilgrims and tourists exploring the Philippines’ islands, and a modest but rising volume of business travelers. For the Philippines, Israel adds an additional long-haul market beyond its traditional reliance on North American and Gulf carriers.
In Vietnam, El AL’s new Hanoi service will enter a market that has just been primed by Israeli leisure carrier Arkia, which inaugurated the first nonstop Tel Aviv–Hanoi flights in early January 2026. While Arkia has targeted primarily outbound Israeli holidaymakers with one to two weekly flights and sharp pricing, El AL will position its three-weekly Dreamliner service at the higher end of the market, combining business traffic, organized tours, and high-spend independent travelers. Together, the two carriers effectively place Vietnam alongside Thailand as a core Southeast Asian destination for Israelis.
Seoul completes the trio. The South Korean capital had been linked to Tel Aviv by Korean Air until the multi-front conflict in 2023 triggered a suspension of service. El AL’s decision to launch its own direct flights reestablishes the most efficient air corridor between the two technology-driven economies. It also offers a non-stop option for South Korean tourists visiting Israel’s religious and cultural sites, and for Israeli professionals heading to Korea’s advanced manufacturing, automotive, and electronics centers.
Europe Reconnected: Switzerland, Croatia, and Denmark
While Asia delivers the most dramatic long-haul headlines, El AL’s European expansion is no less consequential for regional connectivity. The airline will run thrice-weekly flights into Switzerland and Croatia, and resume direct service to Copenhagen, drawing on pent-up demand for both tourism and business travel and restoring links that had been fragmented during the crisis years.
In Switzerland, El AL’s new routes are expected to focus on a mix of leisure and corporate travelers. Swiss cities are gateways to alpine resorts that are popular with Israelis seeking skiing in winter and hiking in summer, but they also serve as financial hubs and headquarters for multinational firms with growing business ties to Israel’s technology ecosystem. By pairing Swiss destinations with increased frequencies in nearby European cities, El AL is positioning itself as a practical alternative to hub-based connections via Frankfurt, Vienna, or Munich.
Croatia, and specifically coastal airports such as Zagreb and Dubrovnik, amplifies El AL’s Mediterranean leisure play. The Adriatic coastline, long favored by European vacationers, has rapidly gained a following among Israeli travelers looking for historical cities, island hopping, and more temperate summer escapes than some of the region’s hotter destinations. Direct three-weekly flights create clear opportunities for package holidays, cruise connections, and short-break city trips that were previously more cumbersome due to required connections through other European hubs.
The return of Copenhagen represents the most symbolic European move. Israel has not enjoyed direct connectivity to the Danish capital for roughly a quarter of a century. Restoring this route functions not only as a tourism bridge to Scandinavia’s design-forward, sustainability-focused cities, but also as a diplomatic and commercial gesture. As Israeli outbound tourism becomes more adventurous and Nordic interest in Middle Eastern culture and pilgrimage travel slowly expands, a nonstop Copenhagen link provides a foundation for deeper two-way engagement.
What the New Network Means for Travelers
For travelers based in Israel, the immediate implication of El AL’s expansion is a far richer menu of non-stop options across three continents. Hanoi joins Bangkok and other Asian cities in offering long-haul leisure escapes within a single overnight flight, while Manila and Seoul open new avenues for cultural, religious, culinary, and shopping-oriented trips. In Europe, Swiss, Croatian, and Danish connections create more direct access to alpine, Adriatic, and Scandinavian experiences without the time and uncertainty of transfers.
The airline plans to offer these new services with a familiar onboard product: Dreamliner aircraft featuring economy, premium economy, and business cabins. This multi-cabin layout allows El AL to serve backpackers and budget-conscious tourists in economy, while courting corporate travelers, diplomats, and high-net-worth individuals with more spacious seating and upgraded service levels. For many Israeli companies doing business with Asian partners, the addition of direct flights simplifies trip planning and can reduce fatigue, saving both time and productivity.
Passengers originating outside Israel stand to benefit as well. Through interline agreements and partnerships with regional carriers, El AL will be able to sell connecting itineraries that route travelers from cities linked to Ben Gurion Airport on to these new destinations. That means business travelers from North America could fly to Tel Aviv on El AL and then continue to Hanoi or Manila on the same ticket, turning Israel into a niche but increasingly useful connection point between West and East.
Travel agents and tour operators are already responding by designing new circuit itineraries that combine Israel with Asia or Europe on a single trip. Pilgrimage tours, for instance, can now incorporate Holy Land sites with side trips to the Philippines’ religious landmarks, while adventure-focused itineraries might pair hiking in the Alps with a cultural stopover in Jerusalem. The optionality created by direct flights often leads, within a season or two, to a noticeable expansion in the products offered to leisure travelers.
Economic and Diplomatic Ripples Across Regions
Beyond convenience for travelers, the newly announced routes signal a deeper recalibration of Israel’s economic and diplomatic outreach. Vietnam, South Korea, and the Philippines are all members of a wider Asian bloc that Israel views as strategically important for diversifying trade and technology partnerships. Closer aviation ties often precede or reinforce free trade agreements, investment treaties, and joint research initiatives, especially in sectors such as agriculture technology, cybersecurity, medical devices, and renewable energy.
Vietnam in particular has been positioning itself as an attractive partner for Israeli companies. The launch of direct flights on top of recent trade agreements will likely encourage more frequent business delegations, technology conferences, and academic exchanges. Similarly, South Korea’s high-tech landscape aligns closely with Israel’s strengths in innovation, and a dedicated air bridge makes it easier for both sides to explore joint ventures and cross-border investment. The Philippines meanwhile gains not only tourism flows but also easier corporate and governmental links with Israel’s tech and defense industries.
In Europe, Switzerland has long served as an anchor for Israeli investment banking, wealth management, and corporate structuring, while its universities and research centers regularly collaborate with Israeli institutions. Enhanced air connectivity can accelerate this collaboration. Croatia, part of the European Union and sitting at a strategic crossroads between central Europe and the Balkans, stands to draw more Israeli investors into its tourism infrastructure, real estate, and logistics sectors. Denmark, through Copenhagen, provides a springboard for Israel to deepen ties across Scandinavia on issues ranging from green energy and smart cities to maritime technology.
From a soft power perspective, the relaunch of routes to countries that had either limited or suspended direct air links with Israel sends a message of gradual normalization after a period of regional upheaval. For the destinations themselves, hosting a national carrier’s aircraft on their tarmac several times a week is often interpreted as a sign of long-term commitment, which can bolster confidence among businesses and policymakers.
Competition, Pricing, and the Wider Aviation Landscape
El AL’s expansion does not occur in a vacuum. In Southeast Asia, Arkia’s early move into Vietnam and Thailand has already sharpened competition on long-haul routes from Israel, pressuring fares to destinations like Bangkok and Hanoi. El AL’s entry into Hanoi, and its decision to add Manila and Seoul, further intensifies the contest for outbound Israeli holidaymakers and adds new layers to pricing dynamics. Consumers should expect promotional fares at launch, followed by ongoing seasonal sales as the airline seeks to build load factors and establish loyalty on each route.
On European sectors, El AL will be competing not only with low-cost carriers and legacy rivals operating through their own hubs, but also with its own charter and leisure brand, which is tasked with operating summer-heavy routes to sun-and-sea destinations. The split strategy allows the group to test markets like Croatia and some Swiss airports seasonally while maintaining a more stable year-round presence on key business and diaspora routes. For travelers, this scenario usually translates into a broader spread of flight times, fare types, and service levels.
The global aviation industry is still recalibrating in the wake of pandemic disruptions and geopolitical shocks. Airlines worldwide are rethinking hub strategies, aircraft deployment, and their tolerance for political risk. El AL’s new network, anchored in Tel Aviv, attempts to carve out a competitive position as a boutique long-haul player linking North America, Europe, and Asia, while still managing the operational and security demands unique to Israeli aviation. Success will depend on how quickly demand materializes, how stable the regional security environment remains, and how effectively the airline coordinates schedules and fares with its partners.
For now, the expansion offers a rare dose of optimism in a sector that has often been defined in recent years by capacity cuts and route suspensions. If the new services to Vietnam, South Korea, the Philippines, Switzerland, Croatia, and Denmark achieve sustainable load factors and healthy yields, they could serve as a blueprint for additional destinations across Asia and Europe in the coming decade.
Planning Ahead: What Travelers Should Know
Given the phased rollout of these routes, travelers looking to capitalize on El AL’s new connections should pay close attention to start dates and seasonal windows. Flights to Hanoi are slated to begin in late October 2026, with Seoul expected to come online in 2027 after ticket sales open in mid-2026. Manila, along with the European additions to Switzerland, Croatia, and Copenhagen, is scheduled to operate three times per week, with certain routes aligned closely to the northern hemisphere summer to capture peak vacation demand.
Because many of the destinations are new to El AL’s network, early schedules are often designed conservatively, with three-weekly frequencies that can be adjusted upward or downward based on performance. This means that some departure days may initially be limited, and popular travel periods such as Jewish holidays, European school vacations, and East Asian festival seasons may sell out quickly. Flexible travelers who can shift trips by a few days in either direction will have the best chance of securing favorable fares.
Prospective passengers should also consider how these new routes fit into larger itineraries. For example, an Israeli traveler might fly non-stop to Hanoi, continue regionally on a partner carrier to Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City, and then return via a different Asian hub, effectively building an open-jaw journey while still anchoring the longest legs on El AL. Similarly, a European traveler could fly into Switzerland or Croatia on El AL, then connect overland or by low-cost carrier to neighboring countries, before returning via Tel Aviv and onward to Asia or North America.
Ultimately, the arrival of direct flights connecting Israel with Vietnam, South Korea, the Philippines, Switzerland, Croatia, and Denmark widens the horizon for travelers and strengthens Israel’s position on the global aviation map. As airlines, tourism boards, and travelers themselves adapt to the new geography of air links, these routes are likely to evolve from novelty to necessity, facilitating tourism, trade, and cultural exchange in ways that will be felt far beyond the boarding gates at Ben Gurion Airport.