Arkia launches the first-ever Tel Aviv-Manila nonstop on Jan 3, 2027: weekly A330, fares from $750, record traffic and free-trade talks behind the route.
Cover image: Metro Manila skyline, Philippines — photo by Brennuscarolus, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Israel and the Philippines will get their first-ever nonstop air link on January 3, 2027, when Arkia Airlines launches weekly Tel Aviv-Manila flights. The Israeli carrier will fly the 11-hour sector every Sunday with a wide-body Airbus A330 wet-leased from GullivAir, with one-way fares starting around $750 in economy and $1,800 in business class. Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Dana Kursh announced the launch on Facebook, saying "the distance between us is about to become a little shorter, but the friendship between our peoples has always been close".
Arkia has beaten rival El Al to the route: El Al signalled interest in Manila earlier this year but has set no firm launch date. Arkia chief executive Oz Berlowitz called the launch "another step in further deepening Arkia's operations in the Far East", following the carrier's additions in New York, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan. The Philippines is having a busy route-development season overall, from Indian connections to Gulf carriers; Manila was also recently named in Riyadh Air's first wave of Asian destinations.
Why does the Tel Aviv-Manila flight matter for tourism?
The numbers show a market ready for nonstops. By end-August 2026, 19,552 Israelis had visited the Philippines, while more than 2,300 Filipinos travelled to Israel, a two-way total of about 21,852 that puts 2026 on course to beat the full-year 2025 record of 23,955. For Filipinos, the draw is Holy Land pilgrimage made vastly easier: Filipinos can visit Israel visa-free for up to 90 days for tourism and religious travel. Eshet Tours chief executive Gil Hahn pointed to strong demand for organised Philippines tours from Israel, and the Philippines tourism department is actively courting new markets, including through its recent distribution partnership with Klook. Indian travellers curious about the destination's entry rules can check the Philippines visa guide for Indians.
What is the trade angle behind the route?
This is as much a cargo story as a passenger one. Two-way goods trade was about $362.2 million in 2025, concentrated in semiconductors, electronics and aircraft parts, and Philippine Ambassador to Israel Aileen Mendiola wants the A330's belly holds full in both directions as the commercial foundation for a free-trade agreement that would cut tariffs. "This flight will make that happen," she said of her push to open FTA talks. Manila is being pitched as a gateway for Israeli firms into ASEAN and its free-trade network, and the two sides have also discussed cooperation under the Pax Silica Initiative on critical minerals, semiconductors and innovation. The trade context follows Economy Minister Nir Barkat's July 2025 visit to the Philippines, and Israel hosts a large Filipino caregiving and domestic-worker community whose home visits will fill seats beyond tourists and business travellers.
| Route fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Airline / aircraft | Arkia, Airbus A330 (wet-leased from GullivAir) |
| First flight | January 3, 2027 |
| Frequency | Weekly, Sundays |
| Flight time | About 11 hours |
| Starting one-way fares | $750 economy / $1,800 business |
| 2026 two-way traffic (Jan-Aug) | About 21,852 travellers |
Frequently asked questions
When do Tel Aviv-Manila direct flights start?
January 3, 2027. Arkia will operate one weekly nonstop every Sunday, the first-ever direct link between Israel and the Philippines. El Al has expressed interest but announced no date.
How much do Tel Aviv-Manila flights cost?
One-way fares start at about $750 in economy and $1,800 in business class on the weekly Arkia A330 service.
Do Filipinos need a visa for Israel?
No. Filipino passport holders can visit Israel visa-free for up to 90 days for tourism and short purposes including religious pilgrimage, which makes the new nonstop especially useful for Holy Land travel.
Why is Israel opening a Philippines route now?
Two-way traffic is on course for a record in 2026, organised-tour demand is strong, and both governments want belly-hold cargo to underpin free-trade talks. The large Filipino worker community in Israel adds steady visiting-friends-and-relatives demand.
