Athens–Tel Aviv Air Bridge Expands as Sky Express Joins Surge in Post-War Routes
Sky Express, a Greek low-cost airline, will launch daily flights from Athens to Tel Aviv starting December 2025 at €109 one-way, offering Israeli travelers access to Greece’s domestic and international network. The move, alongside resumed services by Air Seychelles and Lufthansa Group, signals a recovery in Israel’s air travel market post-conflict.
Greek low-cost carrier Sky Express announced the launch of daily direct flights between Athens and Tel Aviv, starting December 2, 2025, with one-way fares beginning at €109 ($119), excluding carry-on or checked baggage. This competitive pricing undercuts Israeli carriers, whose fares typically start at €180 ($196). Vasileios Krasanakis, Sky Express’s Director of Route and Pricing, stated, “We are excited to expand our international network with the launch of direct service to Tel Aviv, a dynamic and strategically important destination.” The airline highlighted that the route will provide Israeli travelers with seamless connections to its extensive network of 33 domestic Greek destinations, including Santorini, Mykonos, and Crete, and 26 international cities like Paris, London, and Brussels. Operated by fuel-efficient Airbus A320neo aircraft, the flights will be managed in Israel by Tal Aviation.
The announcement aligns with a broader resurgence of international air travel to Israel, following disruptions from the June 2025 Twelve-Day War with Iran. Air Seychelles will resume flights to Tel Aviv on August 7, 2025, with two to three weekly services to Mahé, its main island. The Lufthansa Group, encompassing Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings, also detailed its return to Israel starting August 1, 2025. The group stated, “Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, and Lufthansa Cargo will resume daily flights to and from Tel Aviv, departing from Frankfurt, Munich, and Vienna beginning August 1.” Brussels Airlines will restart Tel Aviv flights on August 13, with 44 weekly flights planned for August. SWISS, previously set to resume in October, will now return on September 29, while Eurowings remains suspended until October 25. Social media posts on X celebrated the news, with one user noting, “Sky Express’s €109 fares to Athens are a game-changer for Israeli travelers!” The new route, covering the 1,194-km journey in about 2.2 hours, strengthens Israel-Greece ties, with over 400 weekly flights between Tel Aviv and Athens operated by carriers like Aegean and El Al.