ARKIA Israeli Airlines will begin operating direct flights between Manila and Israel in January 2027, opening a new air link expected to boost tourism and strengthen family, business and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
The once-a-week service will operate from January through April 2027, with a flight time of about 11 hours, Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Dana Kursh said on Thursday.
Kursh said the direct air link would make it easier for Israelis and Filipinos to visit each other's countries and deepen ties beyond formal diplomatic relations.
“As diplomats, our aim is to connect people,” she said, describing the direct air link as a “bridge” between the two countries.
“The best way is to have direct access to us,” she said, adding that the impact of the new connection would extend beyond government-to-government relations.
Kursh said she hoped more Israelis would visit the Philippines and experience its more than 7,000 islands and what she described as the country's “wonderful hospitality and compassion.”
At the same time, she encouraged Filipinos to visit Israel and experience its religious, historical and cultural attractions, including Jerusalem and other sites.
The ambassador said the potential for increased travel between the two countries was significant.
She cited an estimated 110,000 to 120,000 Filipinos in Israel, including around 30,000 overseas Filipino workers, and noted that many Filipinos in Israel had already visited the country.
“For us, the sky is the limit,” she said when discussing the potential number of travelers the new service could generate.
Kursh stressed the importance of hospitality as a common value between the two peoples, saying the new flights would allow both sides to experience each other's hospitality firsthand.
She also said the measure of the air link's success would eventually be seen in passenger demand.
“Once you see it fully booked, a flight to Israel and fully booked a flight from Israel here, we will know that it is done as well,” she said.
The ambassador said the direct air connection should be viewed not only as a tourism initiative but also as an avenue for strengthening the broader relationship between the two countries.
“There is no better way than a direct flight,” Kursh said.
