Illustrative image. (Photo:en.globes.co.il)

Accordingly, Arkia Israeli Airlines plans to operate its first flight in December 2025 or January 2026 and will begin selling tickets for the Tel Aviv–Ha Noi route starting from this October.

The flight is estimated to take 11 hours and 35 minutes, reducing the travel time by an average of 5 to 9 hours and 1 to 2 stopovers.

The opening of this route implements cooperation under an aviation agreement between Viet Nam and Israel, following a period of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and various conflicts in the Middle East region.

Speaking at the announcement ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung appreciated Arkia’s launch of the direct flight to Ha Noi, noting that the short decision-making and preparation time demonstrated the airline’s strong confidence in the potential of the Vietnamese market.

He affirmed that the opening of the route will boost tourism, trade, investment, as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries, especially in the context that the Viet Nam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA) came into effect in November 2024.