Direct flights between Vietnam and Israel to be launched soon

New direct air route between Tel Aviv and Hanoi

On May 12, 2026, at the headquarters of El Al Airlines located in the Ben Gurion Airport area in Tel Aviv, the Vietnam Trade Office and the Embassy of Vietnam in Israel held a working session with the airline’s leadership to promote and support the launch of direct flights from Israel to Hanoi.

Representing the Vietnamese side were Le Thai Hoa, Trade Counsellor in charge of the Vietnam Trade Office in Israel, and Nghiem Xuan Hai Dang, representative of the embassy. Representatives from El Al Airlines included Shlomi Zafrany, Chief Commercial Officer; Stanley Morais, Director of International Cooperation; and Anna Gold, Director of Partnerships and Aviation Management.

At the meeting, Shlomi Zafrany highly appreciated the potential and prospects of the Vietnamese market within the airline’s strategy to expand aviation cooperation and develop eastern routes toward Asia.

El Al Airlines is currently planning to launch direct flights from Israel to Hanoi and requested support from the Vietnam Trade Office and the embassy to facilitate the implementation of the plan.

Accordingly, the inaugural flight is expected to be launched on October 24, 2026, departing from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and arriving at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.

Initially, under the winter trial schedule from October 24, 2026 to March 25, 2027, El Al Airlines will operate three flights per week using Boeing 787 Dreamliner wide-body aircraft. The airline may increase flight frequency depending on passenger demand.

The outbound flight from Tel Aviv is expected to take nine hours and 35 minutes. Flight LY097 is scheduled to depart at 11:50 pm every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, arriving in Hanoi at 1:25 pm local time the following day.

The return flight from Hanoi is expected to take 11 hours and 10 minutes. Flight LY098 is scheduled to depart at 4:00 pm every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, arriving in Tel Aviv at 10:10 pm on the same day.

Regarding the route, El Al Airlines aircraft are expected to fly via the Red Sea, passing southward along the Arabian Peninsula, crossing India before entering Southeast Asia and arriving in Vietnam.

Under the proposed plan, El Al Airlines requested that the Vietnam Trade Office and the embassy maintain regular communication to continue supporting the airline in expanding cooperation with the Vietnamese market in the future.

Responding to the proposal, Le Thai Hoa, Trade Counsellor at the Vietnam Trade Office and the Embassy of Vietnam in Israel, welcomed El Al Airlines’ plan to launch direct flights to Vietnam with a specific operating schedule.

He also affirmed that the Trade Office and the embassy stand ready to provide active support and connect El Al Airlines with suitable Vietnamese partners to explore mutually beneficial business cooperation opportunities.

At the request of El Al Airlines, the Vietnam Trade Office and the embassy also provided guidance on procedures related to flight permits and visas for crew members, including pilots and flight attendants, so that the airline can comply with regulations set by Vietnamese competent authorities, while coordinating with the airline’s partners in Vietnam for implementation.

In addition, representatives of the Trade Office and the embassy discussed issues of concern to El Al Airlines and expressed their willingness to support the carrier throughout the implementation process of the direct route to Vietnam.

Vietnam emerges as attractive destination for Israeli partners

At present, Vietnam is increasingly becoming an attractive destination for investors, businesses, buyers and international tourists worldwide, including Israeli partners.

In recent years, economic relations, trade exchange and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Israel have continued to develop positively. The Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement, which officially took effect in mid-November 2024, has created strong momentum for bilateral cooperation.

Many Israeli businesses, investors, buyers and tourists have shown growing interest in the Vietnamese market and have actively travelled to Vietnam to seek partners, explore business opportunities, travel and enjoy leisure activities.

In 2025, bilateral trade between the two countries reached USD 3.63 billion, up 11.8%. Of the total, Vietnam’s exports reached USD 865 million, an increase of 8.9% compared to the previous year, while imports from Israel totalled USD 2.76 billion, up 12.7%.

In the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports to Israel were estimated at approximately USD 340 million, while imports from the market reached around USD 900 million.

Regarding investment cooperation, Israel has so far invested approximately USD 155.90 million in Vietnam across 45 projects. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s investment in Israel has reached approximately USD 78.25 million.

As the political and security situation in Israel stabilises, people from both countries are increasingly looking forward to opportunities to visit and travel to each other’s countries.

Previously, the Vietnam Trade Office and the Embassy of Vietnam in Israel also supported Arkia Israeli Airlines, the first private airline of Israel, in launching direct flights to Hanoi from January 5, 2026, with a frequency of one to three flights per week.

Currently, at the request of Arkia Israeli Airlines, the Vietnam Trade Office and the embassy are continuing to assist the airline in obtaining approval to launch direct flights from Tel Aviv to Ho Chi Minh City.

The continued expansion of direct air routes by Israeli airlines to Vietnam, including destinations in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, is expected to further facilitate travel for businesses, investors, buyers, tourists and citizens of both countries.

At the same time, the routes are expected to boost air cargo transportation, thereby enhancing mutual understanding and promoting broader cooperation between Vietnam and Israel across multiple sectors.

As Israel’s national carrier, El Al Airlines is regarded as one of the safest airlines in the world. It is also the only commercial airline equipped with onboard missile defence systems designed to protect aircraft against surface-to-air missiles.

El Al Airlines operates a fleet of next-generation wide-body aircraft, including Boeing 777-200ER, Boeing 787-8 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft, while continuously expanding its network to more than 31 destinations across continents such as the Americas, including New York, Newark, Miami, Los Angeles and Boston; Europe, including London, Paris, Brussels, Warsaw, Berlin, Budapest, Kyiv, Larnaca, Prague and Moscow; Asia, including Bangkok, Mumbai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Tokyo; and Oceania, including Perth and Melbourne.

In addition, El Al Airlines also operates services to Johannesburg in South Africa and several other destinations. With continuously growing passenger and cargo capacity, El Al Airlines has established codeshare agreements with around 22 airlines worldwide, including an agreement with Vietnam Airlines signed in the second half of 2018.