El Al is on a roll. A big one. We’re talking record profits, new jets on the way, and a potential livery refresh because, you know, money looks better when it’s wrapped in fresh paint. So, what’s the deal? Let’s dig in.
In This Post
A Quick El Al 101
You probably already know El Al, but if you don’t, welcome to aviation. It’s the flag carrier of Israel, with a relatively small yet mighty fleet of 43 aircraft:
- 15 Boeing 737-800
- 8 Boeing 737-900
- 4 Boeing 777-200
- 4 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
- 12 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
But that’s not all. El Al has 31 Boeing 737 MAXs on order because it apparently likes to have a little controversy about its aircraft acquisitions. These will likely replace the ageing 737s currently flying around.
From Near Collapse to Record Profits
Back in 2020, El Al was circling the financial drain. Enter Kenny Rozenberg, an American-Israeli businessman who decided to drop a casual $100 million to take control of the airline. Risky? Absolutely. But fast-forward a few years, and that gamble is paying off in ridiculous ways.
Then came October 7th, 2024, and without diving into the politics (because, let’s be honest, this is an aviation blog), airlines across the globe noped out of Tel Aviv. British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, American, United, Delta, you name it, they left. Even budget airlines like Wizz Air, Ryanair, and easyJet bolted.
And El Al? They stayed.
With almost no competition, demand skyrocketed. The result? El Al’s bank account is now looking very healthy:
- Q4 2024 profit: $130 million (up from $40 million in Q4 2023!)
- Total 2024 net profit: $545 million (up from $125 million in 2023!)
- Market share out of TLV: 47.5% (up from 26.3% in 2023!)
- North American market share: 97.5% (with a wild 96% load factor!)
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why El Al is raking in the cash. If you’re the only airline flying, you will be printing money. But even then, El Al took the moral high ground and capped economy class fares when they could have charged an arm, a leg, and your firstborn for a ticket. That said, passengers still paid 14% more per flight mile than in 2023. So… make of that what you will.
Budget Airlines Want In
The demand is so ridiculous that even Israeli budget airlines are getting into the long-haul game. On February 8th, an Israeli low-cost carrier launched transatlantic flights from Tel Aviv to New York JFK using a wet-leased, single-class A330-900 from Iberojet. Now, Israir wants a piece of that action, too.
A New Livery?
Something’s up. A Boeing 737 was spotted wearing a new livery, which raises the question: Is El Al rebranding? Are we about to see a fresh new look, or was this just a one-off paint job? There is no official word yet, but stay tuned.
A fresh livery for El Al on this 737 in Ostrava. https://t.co/75SRvjjKlT © Hanys pic.twitter.com/QO6bXmYx2o
— JetPhotos (@JetPhotos) March 10, 2025
A Fresh Plane Order?
More planes = more profits, and the airline is reportedly looking to buy some freighters. The details are hazy, but given their current fleet, our bet is on the Boeing 777F. That would make the most sense, but hey, this is El Al. Anything could happen.
Conclusion:
El Al is officially back from the dead and thriving like never before. The airline has gone from financial disaster to record-smashing success, and with new aircraft, potential branding changes, and expanding routes, it’s clear they’re not slowing down anytime soon.
And if you’re flying out of Tel Aviv? Well, let’s just say you don’t have many options, so buckle up because El Al is running the show.
