Bluebird Airways continues to expand its activity in Italy. It recently announced the launch of flights from Tel Aviv to Bologna, with three flights a week and with fares starting at €128 in each direction. "The route offers Israelis another convenient way of reaching the regions most in demand in northern Italy," the airline said. From September 17, Bluebird, which is based in Greece but is Israeli-owned, will also add direct flights to Rome and Naples, in addition to Bologna, Bergamo, and Milan.
Meanwhile, Wizz Air is also adding flights to Italy, and is renewing its routes to Catania (four flights weekly) and Venice (three flights weekly), and putting on extra flights to Rome and Milan, making it fourteen flights weekly to each city, and to Naples, with up to seven flights weekly.
Israeli tourists now have many different destinations to choose from in Italy, with El Al, Arkia, and Israir also flying there, besides smaller airlines.
Some of the destinations are seasonal, but according to travel agency Gulliver, during the Jewish holiday period and the fall no less than eleven Italian destinations will be reachable directly from Tel Aviv: Rome, Milan, Bergamo, Venice, Verona, Bologna, Naples, Bari, Catania, Palermo, and Cagliari in Sardinia.
According to Israel Airports Authority figures, some 180,000 passengers flew from Israel to Italy in July, making it the third most popular destination after Cyprus and Greece. Flights to Italy accounted for 7.8% of all passenger traffic at Ben Gurion Airport, up from 5.84% in July 2025.
In the first seven months of this year, some 640,000 passengers flew from Israel to Italy, accounting for 7.5% of all passenger traffic at Ben Gurion Airport, slightly up from 7.4% in the same period in 2025. According to lastminute.co.il, Rome and Milan lead in searches and bookings, followed by Catania, Verona, and Naples.
From October 3, the average return fare for direct flights to Italian destinations is $350, with fares gradually reducing later in the month, according to lastminute.co.il. There are however wide variations in fares to some destinations. For flights to Rome, Milan, and Naples the highest fare is 160% dearer than the lowest fare. For Catania and Verona the gaps are only about 17% and 13% respectively.
The variation in fares to the main cities is explicable by that fact that demand is high for flights with the major Israeli airlines, which are less susceptible to geopolitical upsets, and offer flexibility on cancellations and changes, and may include a trolley in the fare. In any case, fares are dynamic, and change in accordance with travel dates and levels of seat occupancy.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on September 8, 2026.
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2026.