El Al Israel Airlines

History

El Al Israel Airlines was established on 15 November 1948, just months after the founding of the State of Israel, with an early flight carrying Israel's first president, Chaim Weizmann, from Geneva to the newly formed state that September. As the national flag carrier, El Al played a central role in Israeli aviation history, operating famous rescue and immigration airlifts and building a long-haul network connecting Israel to Europe, North America, and beyond, all under some of the strictest security protocols of any airline in the world. The Israeli government began privatizing El Al in 2003, when 15% of shares were listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, and Knafaim-Arkia Holdings acquired a controlling stake by 2005. In September 2020, amid pandemic-driven losses, businessman Eli Rozenberg's Kanfei Nesharim vehicle purchased a 42.85% controlling stake for roughly $107 million, with the Israeli government retaining a minority holding of about 15%. El Al has continued operating as Israel's dominant international carrier through subsequent regional conflicts, notably maintaining flights throughout the Israel-Hamas war that began in October 2023, when many foreign carriers suspended Tel Aviv service.

Current Operations

El Al operates an all-Boeing fleet of roughly 45-50 aircraft, including 737, 787 Dreamliner, and 777 types, serving approximately 50 destinations from its hub at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. The airline does not belong to any of the three major global alliances, instead relying on an extensive network of more than two dozen codeshare and interline partnerships with carriers including Delta, Air France, Qantas, and JetBlue. El Al posted record profits of roughly $545 million in 2024, benefiting from reduced competition as many foreign airlines suspended or scaled back Tel Aviv routes during the Israel-Hamas war while El Al itself kept flying. In a notable policy shift, the airline received rabbinical approval in October 2023 to operate flights on the Jewish Sabbath for the first time since 1982, primarily to support emergency and military-related transport needs during wartime. The carrier continues expanding its network, having launched Tokyo-Narita service in 2023 and planning a new Buenos Aires route in late 2026, while trimming some destinations, including ending Johannesburg service in March 2024.

Last verified 2026-08-22· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.

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