El Al’s subsidiary Sun d’Or announced Tuesday that it will resume flights to Morocco this fall, becoming the second Israeli carrier to offer service to the North African country.
The move comes as Israeli travel rebounds following three years of regional wars that led to the route’s suspension.
The airline will offer twice-weekly flights from Tel Aviv to Marrakech starting Nov. 16, with round-trip economy fares from $599.
The move comes just months after Israeli rival Arkia resumed flights to Morocco this summer, following a three-year suspension due to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel and ensuing war.
Travel consultants said the return of Israeli airlines to Morocco is significant news for the tourism industry, and that the re-entry of a second carrier on the route restores competition, which will bring down airfares.
“Morocco was a highly sought-after destination for Israelis—including for organized tours, which saw very strong demand before the suspension of flights,” Yoni Waxman, deputy chairman of Israel’s Ophir Tours, told JNS. “As flight frequency rises and prices become more attractive, we anticipate a rapid rebound in demand for both independent travel and organized tours.”
Israel and Morocco, which for decades had maintained covert cooperation in the defense and intelligence sphere, formalized relations as part of the 2020 Abraham Accords that saw four Arab countries make peace with Israel under the first Trump administration.
An estimated one million Jews of Moroccan descent live in Israel; 200,000 Israelis flocked to Morocco in 2022, many on “roots trips.”
“For dozens of years, Israelis have travelled to Morocco, even before nonstop flights and relations between the two countries,” said Mark Feldman, CEO of Jerusalem’s Ziontours. “Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have made the trek, and the renewal of flights should attract thousands more during the winter months alone.”
He added that the resumption of nonstop service also comes as small Israeli airlines, which are now facing fierce competition from international low-cost carriers led by Wizz Air, look for alternative routes to attract Israeli travelers.
