In a move that’s equal parts bold and baffling, El Al is reportedly planning to relaunch non-stop flights from Tel Aviv (TLV) to Buenos Aires (EZE), a route it hasn’t touched in nearly two decades. Yes, this would be a comeback, not a debut.
Flight time is expected to be gruelling, clocking in at 15 to 16 hours, covering a long-haul stretch of roughly 7,400 miles. This would be one of the airline’s longest non-stop flights and one of the boldest, too.
In This Post
So, Why Now?
The route isn’t just about tourism or trade. It’s diplomacy at 35,000 feet. Argentina’s ambassador to Israel, Axel Wahnish, revealed the plan ahead of President Javier Milei’s upcoming state visit to Israel (10–12 June). According to Wahnish, the announcement will be made jointly during the visit as a show of Milei’s “very strong humanitarian stance with Israel.”
Wahnish told the press that he personally pitched the idea to Prime Minister Netanyahu, who allegedly made a call within minutes to get the ball rolling. So, if this route becomes a reality, it’ll be one of the few launched based on a 10-minute chat.
A Route with History
El Al actually flew to Buenos Aires in the past but quietly discontinued the service in the early 2000s. With Argentina home to one of the largest Jewish communities in Latin America, the decision to return isn’t coming out of nowhere, but the timing has raised a few eyebrows.
There are currently no non-stop flights between Israel and Argentina. Most itineraries require a stopover, often in São Paulo, Madrid, or another major hub, typically served by LATAM, Iberia, or Air Europa.
If El Al makes this official, they’ll instantly have a unique selling point and monopoly on the direct route.
Dreamliner or Dinosaur?
The flights are expected to be operated by either El Al’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner or the older Boeing 777-200ER. That said, the 777s are nearing retirement and slowly being phased out. Unless El Al wants to send a diplomatic message with dated seats and chunky IFE screens, the Dreamliner seems the more likely pick not just for fuel efficiency but for the optics.
El Al has 16 Dreamliners in its fleet, with more on order, making it the logical choice for ultra-long-haul missions like this.
No Dates Yet, Just Drumrolls
No timetables, frequencies, or seat maps yet. This is still in the early announcement phase, likely awaiting bilateral approvals, slot negotiations, and a few boardroom huddles. But the intention is clear, and high-level backing could mean this one goes from press release to flight schedule fast.
Final Approach
El Al returning to Argentina would be more than a route. It’s a route with a message. It checks the boxes of symbolism, diplomacy, and diaspora connectivity. But will it also check the box of commercial sustainability? That remains to be seen.
Until then, fire up your Google Alerts for June 10 because that’s when the runway might clear for takeoff.
Keep the Miles Rolling: More Reads
1 comment
There are 250,000 Jews in Buenos Aires – twice as many as in Miami and enough to have Kosher McDonald’s – and 70,000 Argentines now live in Israel. Milei no doubt encouraged it, but the fact that Argentines now have a stable currency (thanks to him), have unrestricted and competitive air routes (thanks to him) and can once again afford leisure travel (thanks to him) has much more to do with this flight than mere diplomacy.