After today’s dramatic attempt to hijack a Tel Aviv bound flydubai flight, the UAE has agreed to Israel’s security demands, as a result of which flights to Dubai by Israeli airlines are expected to resume. This follows a period, starting with the Iran campaign earlier this year, in which Israeli carriers did not fly to the region. Until today, a return to service was not anticipated until at least the end of October. However, it remains unclear exactly when the agreement will be signed and when flights will actually restart.
In fact, for the past few months, the Shin Bet and Israeli security forces had barred El Al, Arkia, and Israir from flying to the UAE pending an agreement between the nations to resolve security-related issues. The primary beneficiaries of this situation were Gulf-based airlines flydubai and Etihad, which remained the sole operators in the market, enjoying a significant surge in passenger volume. Since the beginning of the year, the two UAE airlines have accounted for 7% of all air traffic at Ben Gurion Airport.
Now it seems that an agreement has been reached, and Israeli airlines are already preparing to resume operations. El Al announced this evening that it is gearing up to restart its Tel Aviv-Dubai route in November, following an eight-month hiatus.
According to El Al, the airline plans to operate at least two daily flights to Dubai. However, the resumption of service is contingent upon receiving the necessary official approvals from the relevant state authorities.
Speaking to *Globes* earlier today, Arkia CEO Oz Berlovich said: "The importance of Israeli airlines resuming flights to Dubai is becoming increasingly clear. The air link between Israel and the UAE is established, strong, and vital. However, a situation where the route is operated almost exclusively by foreign carriers is unsustainable in the long run. We need to strike a balance between foreign and Israeli airlines, restore genuine competition to the route, and give Israeli travelers the choice of flying with either a foreign or an Israeli carrier."
Arkia also estimated that the company loses about $1 million for every month the route remains inactive during the winter season, noting that it is "The company's most important route for this season."
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on September 30, 2026.
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