Air India to resume direct Delhi–Tel Aviv flights from December 1

Air India will resume direct flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv from December 1, restoring a non-stop air link between India and Israel after the suspension of services amid the ongoing war and security situation in the region.

The airline will operate five weekly flights from Sunday through Thursday using Boeing 777 aircraft. With the resumption, Air India is set to be the only airline operating non-stop flights between India and Israel.

Air India will operate flight AI139 from Delhi, departing at 5:00 am and arriving in Tel Aviv at 8:30 am. The return service, AI140, will depart Tel Aviv at 10:30 am and arrive in Delhi at 7:45 pm. The flight time will be approximately seven hours from Delhi to Tel Aviv and around five hours and 45 minutes on the return journey.

Air India and other airlines had suspended or disrupted services to Tel Aviv during the ongoing conflict, affecting direct air connectivity between India and Israel. The restoration of the Delhi–Tel Aviv route comes as air links to Israel gradually resume amid changes in the regional security environment.

The return of the direct route also comes as the Israeli Ministry of Tourism strengthens its engagement with the Indian travel market and expands efforts to showcase the destination beyond its established appeal for pilgrimage and spiritual tourism.

The ministry is placing greater emphasis on leisure and family travel, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions), luxury and experiential tourism.

Welcoming the announcement, Galit Hoffman, Consul for Tourism Affairs at the Israel Ministry of Tourism in India, said the restoration of direct connectivity would make travel between the two countries more convenient.

“The return of Air India’s direct flights is an important development for tourism between India and Israel. For Indian travellers, the restoration of a regular non-stop connection makes the journey more convenient and gives them greater flexibility when planning a visit to Israel. India remains an important market for us, and direct air connectivity has a significant role to play in supporting the growth of travel between our two countries.”

Hoffman also highlighted the range of experiences the destination offers to Indian travellers beyond pilgrimage and spiritual tourism.

“We would like more Indian travellers to discover the many different sides of Israel, beyond its longstanding appeal for pilgrimage and spiritual travel. From Jerusalem and the beaches, culinary experiences and vibrant city life of Tel Aviv, to the Dead Sea, the desert, Galilee and Eilat on the Red Sea, Israel offers an extraordinary variety of experiences within a relatively compact destination.”

She added that the return of the Delhi route would provide an opportunity to increase awareness of Israel’s broader tourism offering among Indian travellers.

India was a significant source market for Israel before the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly 70,000 Indian visitors travelling to the country annually, according to the Israel Ministry of Tourism.

Alongside the restoration of direct air connectivity, the ministry is expanding its engagement with India’s travel trade through destination training, webinars, familiarisation programmes for travel agents and media, and promotional initiatives highlighting Israel’s varied tourism experiences.

The resumption of Air India’s Delhi–Tel Aviv service is expected to strengthen air connectivity between the two countries and provide Indian travellers with a direct option for reaching Israel, while giving fresh momentum to tourism ties between the two markets.