Arkia Challenges El Al with New Direct Tel Aviv-Hanoi, Thailand Flights

January 5, 2026 at 02:56 PM•3 min read

Arkia inaugurated its first non-stop Tel Aviv-Hanoi service, expanding into South East Asia and challenging El Al's long-haul dominance with new Airbus A330 flights to Vietnam and

Key Points

1Arkia inaugurated the first non-stop Tel Aviv-Hanoi flight on January 5, 2026, with service increasing to biweekly by March.
2The new long-haul routes utilize Airbus A330 aircraft and directly challenge El Al's dominance in the Israel South East Asia market.
3The expansion comes as the Israeli aviation sector is resurging, with over 400,000 Israelis visiting Thailand in 2024, driving high demand for new options.
4Wizz Air's plan to open a Tel Aviv base by April 2026 is expected to further intensify competition and put downward pressure on airfares.

Israeli airline Arkia has launched its first non-stop service from Tel Aviv to Vietnam. The inaugural flight to Hanoi began on Monday, January 5, 2026. This expansion follows the successful start of direct flights to Thailand one month prior.

Arkia is the third-largest Israeli carrier, following El Al and Israir. The move positions the airline in direct competition with flag carrier El Al. Arkia is the only carrier currently offering direct service between Tel Aviv and Hanoi.

Strategic Expansion and Competition

Arkia is operating the new long-haul routes using leased wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft. The Tel Aviv-Hanoi route begins with one weekly flight. This frequency will increase to twice weekly starting in March 2026.

Flights to the Thai capital of Bangkok are currently twice-weekly. Additional service to the popular island of Phuket is scheduled to begin in July.

The added competition is expected to reduce ticket prices for Israeli travelers. Fares to Vietnam start at $699 one-way in economy class. Bangkok flights begin at $499 one-way. Previously, El Al was the dominant carrier on long-haul routes to the region.

Market Dynamics

The expansion reflects a resurgence of the Israeli aviation sector. Israelis are flying to Thailand and Vietnam in record numbers. Thailand is the most popular long-haul destination for Israelis after the United States. Over 400,000 Israelis visited Thailand in 2024 alone.

Industry analysis suggests that airfares in 2026 are set to drop. This is driven by increased airline supply and competition. The new Arkia direct flights are a major factor in this trend. This is particularly true for the highly demanded Israel South East Asia market.

Broader Sector Resurgence

The market is seeing other signs of growth and competition. Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air confirmed it is restarting service to Tel Aviv. Wizz Air plans to open a new base at Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) by April 2026. This move will further intensify competition and lower fares.

Meanwhile, El Al announced a significant expansion of its London route. The carrier will operate 20 weekly flights to the UK throughout the winter. This includes service to London Heathrow Airport and London Luton Airport. This overall growth signals strong confidence in the region's commercial aviation news landscape. The Middle East aviation market is forecast by IATA to be the world's most profitable region through 2026. This is driven by long-haul demand and infrastructure investment. For more updates on international route expansion, visit commercial aviation news.