The plan was discussed during a working session held on May 12 at El Al Airlines headquarters near Ben Gurion Airport between representatives from the Vietnam Trade Office and the Vietnamese Embassy in Israel with senior executives of El Al Airlines.

During the meeting, El Al Airlines Vice President Shlomi Zafrany highlighted Vietnam’s growing importance in the airline’s expansion strategy toward Asia. The carrier described Vietnam as a highly promising market for aviation cooperation, tourism and business development.

According to the proposed schedule, the first direct flight between Tel Aviv and Hanoi is expected to launch on October 24, connecting Ben Gurion Airport with Noi Bai International Airport.

In the initial winter trial phase running from October 24, 2026, to March 25, 2027, El Al Airlines plans to operate three flights per week using Boeing 787 Dreamliner wide-body aircraft. Flight frequency will increase if passenger demand grows.

According to El Al Airlines, aircraft will travel via the Red Sea, passing below the Arabian Peninsula and over India before entering Southeast Asia and reaching Vietnam.

Vietnamese officials welcomed the airline’s decision to expand into the Vietnamese market and pledged continued support in facilitating cooperation with local partners and relevant authorities.

The new route would become another milestone in growing aviation links between the two countries. Earlier, the Vietnam Trade Office and Embassy in Israel supported Arkia Israeli Airlines in launching direct flights to Hanoi from January 5, 2026, with frequencies ranging from one to three flights per week.

The launch of additional direct routes comes as economic and tourism ties between Vietnam and Israel continue to strengthen. The Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement, which took effect in November 2024, has significantly boosted trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.

Bilateral trade rose 11.8% year on year in 2025 to approximately US$3.63 billion. In the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports to Israel were estimated at around US$340 million, while imports from Israel hit approximately US$900 million.

Israel currently has 45 investment projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of around US$155.9 million. Meanwhile, Vietnamese investment in Israel has reached approximately US$78.25 million.

Israeli firms step up sourcing from Vietnam

Despite ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, trade between Vietnam and Israel continued to grow strongly in the first half of 2025, with Israeli firms actively seeking alternative suppliers, including from Vietnam.