Etihad to begin daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Israel in March

The national airline will operate seven flights per week between the UAE capital and Tel Aviv

Etihad will launch daily flights from Abu Dhabi to Israel in March 2021. Courtesy Unsplash

Etihad Airways will begin flying to Israel in March 2021.

The national airline of the UAE is launching a daily service from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.

Flights take three hours and 25 minutes and are scheduled to operate year-round. The first service will depart the UAE on Sunday, March 28.

Economy fares start from $445 (Dh1,635) for flights that will depart Abu Dhabi at 9.45am, landing in Israel just after noon.

The recently signed air transport agreement between the UAE and Israel has allowed airlines in the UAE to begin introducing passenger and cargo flights between the countries.

One month after the signing of the Abraham Accords in Washington, DC on September 15, Etihad operated the first commercial passenger flight by a GCC airline to and from Tel Aviv. Now, the airline is making the route a regular feature of its service.

“Following the signing of the new bilateral agreement, Etihad is delighted to announce a direct link between these important cities," said Mohammad Al Bulooki, chief operating officer at Etihad. "The commencement of scheduled flights is a historic moment and, as an airline, cements Etihad’s commitment to growing opportunities for trade and tourism not just between the two countries but also within the region and beyond."

Departure times have been scheduled to allow travellers to easily connect via Abu Dhabi to hub destinations such as China, India, Thailand and Australia.

A mutual visa-free travel scheme between the two countries will allow Emiratis to travel to Israel for up to 90 days without a visa.

Etihad announced the service after low-cost airline flydubai said it would be the first UAE airline to operate regular commercial passenger flights to Israel. The airline is set to begin flying to Tel Aviv on Thursday, November 26.

Flydubai will be the first airline to operate passenger flights directly from Dubai to Tel Aviv when it launches its twice daily flights from Dubai International Airport.