DansDeals Exclusive: El Al Will Offer A Record Number Of US Flights Next Summer Thanks To Upcoming 787 Deliveries, Plus More Tidbits About The Airline’s Upcoming Plans!

With years of healthy profits under its belt, El Al is in full-steam-ahead expansion mode.

It currently has 17 Dreamliners on hand, but has firm orders for 11 more and options for another 6, which would double its widebody capacity.

It will take delivery of one of those 787-9s next week and another next month.

4 of those firm 787 orders are for larger 787-10s, which will add a lot more capacity on routes that it will serve.

• El Al shares exclusively with DansDeals, that thanks to the 787s being delivered, the airline will operate a record number of flights to the Americas next summer:
  • Miami: El Al currently flies 6 weekly frequencies and is currently selling 7 for next summer. This will expand to 9 weekly flights.
  • NYC (JFK+Newark): El Al currently flies 27 weekly frequencies and will expand to 36 weekly flights next summer.
  • Boston: El Al currently flies 3 weekly frequencies and will expand to 4 weekly flights next summer.
  • Los Angeles: El Al currently flies 6 weekly frequencies and will expand to 9 weekly flights next summer.
  • San Francisco: El Al currently flies 3 weekly frequencies, but isn’t currently selling flights past March, when United will resume the route. The airline will continue the 3 weekly flights next summer and compete head-on against United.
  • Buenos Aires: El Al launches service later this month and will continue flying 2 weekly frequencies next summer on the longest route in its network.

That will make for a record 63 weekly peak-season El Al round-trip flights between Israel and the Americas!

The added flights will go on sale later this week, as will flights for Sukkos 2027.

• El Al recently announced in-flight enhancements, such as:
  • Upgraded TAKEANAP blankets and pillows in all cabins.
  • A mattress topper, PJs, and slippers in business class.
  • Upgraded Jo Malone London amenity kits in premium cabins.
  • Upgraded in-flight entertainment systems with personalized content, a new interface for children, and a system that will allow you to resume watching content exactly where you left off on your previous flight.
  • Upgraded in-flight food, menus, and tableware under the culinary direction of Chef Assaf Granit.
  • Exclusive De Karina chocolates in business class
  • The EL AL app will introduce “Travel Mode,” available beginning 48 hours before departure, bringing together the essential information passengers need as they prepare for their flight.
  • EL AL is also introducing “Ella,” an AI-powered service representative that provides an initial response to customer inquiries, displays relevant information from the passenger’s booking and assists with completing actions or directing customers to the appropriate service representative.

Perhaps most importantly, it will launch free in-flight Starlink WiFi, starting next year. It’s unknown how long that rollout will take.

In other previously unreported El Al news:

• El Al is looking into relocating from JFK’s Terminal 4 to Terminal 1.
• The airline is looking into options for opening King David Lounges in JFK, Newark, Paris, London, and Bangkok.
  • Presumably, a move to JFK Terminal 1 would include a King David Lounge, though it would also mean losing access to the AMEX, Capital One, Chase, and Virgin lounges in Terminal 4. El Al closed their London King David Lounge in 2019, and its JFK and Paris lounges in 2022. It’s nice to see the airline looking into reopening those lounges! 
• The airline will soon be adding Flex fares for Premium and Business Class, as it does in Economy.
  • This should allow for inclusions like El Al Protect, free changes, refunds for a reduced fee, and more. Plus, you can book this fare via the various credit card portals.
• The airline says it is not currently considering basic/lite fares on US flights in any cabin.
  • This is a clear competitive advantage versus other carriers and deserves recognition!
• The airline is looking into next generation business class seats, which could launch with the delivery of the 787-10.
  • We previously reported to expect those deliveries to occur between 2030-2032. This will put El Al well behind AA, Delta, and United, which are currently adding suites with doors to their entire widebody fleets. 
• El Al is working on a system to allow passengers to volunteer to be compensated and bumped off of a flight in an oversell situation via the app.

What do you think of these new flights and developments?