Starting this Passover: Direct flights to seven new destinations in Europe

Arkia will fly to 30 destinations—seven of them new in Europe and one in New York, where flights will continue beyond the originally planned May schedule.

 Arkia intends to continue the route beyond the initial three-month schedule (photo credit: ARKIA)
Arkia intends to continue the route beyond the initial three-month schedule
(photo credit: ARKIA)

Arkia presented its new destination map for the upcoming spring-summer season, including 11 flights to various destinations in Greece, seven new destinations, and a total of 29 destinations in Europe and one in the U.S.

As previously reported, Arkia began operating flights to New York this month, using Airbus A330-900 NEO aircraft from Iberojet, which will operate the flights. The flights were initially planned to run until May of this year. However, Arkia's CEO, Oz Berlowitz, stated this morning that the company intends to continue the route, which has so far maintained a 90% occupancy rate, beyond the initial three-month schedule. "We estimate that this demand will allow for its continued operation beyond the summer of 2025," she said.

Have You Been to Lake Balaton Yet?

Additionally, Arkia will operate flights to 11 destinations in Greece this year. As we reported last week, Greece will increase its tourist tax, which will now be €8 per night per person—an increase that will undoubtedly raise the cost of Israeli vacations in the country. The Greek destinations include Athens, Volos (new destination), Crete, Mykonos, Thessaloniki, Skiathos (new destination), Preveza, Kos, Corfu, Kalamata (new destination), and Rhodes.

Other new European destinations the airline will introduce include Madrid, Tirana (Albania’s capital), Zadar in Croatia, and Lake Balaton in Hungary. Many of these destinations will be seasonal, meaning Arkia will operate flights to them between June and October, concluding around the end of the Jewish holiday season.

 The island of Galešnjak near Zadar, Croatia (credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)
The island of Galešnjak near Zadar, Croatia (credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)

Two additional destinations in the Middle East and Africa to which the airline will fly are Dubai and Zanzibar.

To promote these destinations, Arkia will launch a Passover sale, offering a 20% discount on all flights—except New York—including those during the Passover holiday and throughout April.