El Al announced on Monday that it would resume nonstop flights between Tel Aviv and San Francisco from October 25, citing demand for a route between the two tech hubs.
It chose LY49 as the flight number for the 15-hour flights, which will happen three times a week, in homage to the San Francisco 49ers football team.
“San Francisco is one of the most important technology, innovation, and business hubs in the world, with a large and central Israeli community,” said Shlomi Zafrani, El Al’s vice president of commerce and sales.
“The opening of the new route is intended to respond to significant demand from the business and Israeli community in the region, and to enable a more direct … and convenient connection between Israel and Silicon Valley.”
According to El Al, the price for a round-trip ticket in CLASSIC economy class, including baggage and a seat, will start at $1,199.
El Al continues to expand its global presence
The new route joins the company’s significant expansion process, within the framework of which it has announced 11 new destinations around the world in recent months – in Asia, Europe, South America, and now also in North America, with El Al calling it a “part of the continued implementation growth strategy and deepening of its global presence.”
El Al operated flights between the two cities from late 2018 until early 2020, when the route was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic; resuming flights to San Francisco is part of its expansion.
The Israeli flag carrier said in April it would buy up to 12 more long-haul 787 Dreamliner aircraft from Boeing.
The new route will expand the number of nonstop flights from Israel to US cities, including New York, Miami, Boston, and Los Angeles, with them representing 45 weekly flights during the upcoming winter.
