Dubai is off the map: Where will Israelis' connections to the East move to?

The suspension of flights to Dubai, following the attempted hijacking of a Flydubai plane, is reshaping the connection map for Israelis traveling to the East. Dubai has served as a major hub since the Abraham Accords, with about 239,000 visitors in 2022. Traffic is now expected to shift to Abu Dhabi (Etihad), Istanbul (canceled), Addis Ababa, or via Europe. Ticket prices have risen by about 15%, but are expected to moderate as supply increases.

The suspension of flights between Israel and Dubai, following the attempted hijacking of a Flydubai plane, is reshaping the connection map for Israelis traveling to the East. Within a few years, Dubai became a major aviation hub, both as a destination and as a cheap and easy way to reach farther destinations, since the Abraham Accords in 2020. The first commercial flight of Flydubai landed at Ben Gurion Airport on November 26, 2020, and in 2022 about 239,000 Israelis visited Dubai. Now, some of the traffic is expected to move to Abu Dhabi, where Etihad continues to operate six daily flights to Tel Aviv. The situation is also expected to affect ticket prices, which have risen by about 15% in recent days, although this may be a temporary increase. Passengers may also choose Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa, or connections through Europe with airlines such as Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, and Air France. El Al, Israir, and Arkia are preparing to fill some of the vacuum, and upon receiving security clearance, they are expected to resume their flights to Dubai.