The Lufthansa Group announced Thursday its planned resumption of flights to Israel beginning Feb. 1.
The announcement marks a strategic shift in international air service to Israel, as Europe's largest airline consortium – comprising five major European carriers – prepares to restore connectivity through a comprehensive network of flights. The group's decision, encompassing Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings, could serve as a catalyst for other international carriers contemplating their return to the region.
The initial phase of operations reflects a calculated, systematic approach to service restoration. The schedule encompasses daily Lufthansa flights linking Tel Aviv with both Frankfurt and Munich, daily SWISS operations to Zurich, and daily Austrian Airlines service to Vienna. Complementing these mainline services, Brussels Airlines will establish three weekly frequencies, while Eurowings will maintain two weekly connections to Düsseldorf.
The timing of the Lufthansa Group's announcement gains additional significance as it follows ITA Airways' confirmation of service resumption on the same date. This development also builds upon Wizz Air's recent broad-scale return to the market, which introduced direct services to more than 10 destinations.
Industry analysts anticipate this move will precipitate similar announcements from other international carriers in the coming weeks, with particular attention focused on American airlines, which have yet to specify their return timelines.
