Israeli carrier El Al, through its leisure subsidiary Sun D’Or, has announced the reintroduction of direct seasonal flights between Tel Aviv and Croatia, with two destinations included in the summer schedule – Zagreb and Dubrovnik. The launch of the routes was announced by El Al on its official website, while detailed operational flight data are available through the airline’s booking system.
The Tel Aviv–Zagreb route will operate on a seasonal basis with two weekly flights, on Mondays and Wednesdays, during the summer timetable period. According to currently available information, operations are scheduled to begin in late May and run until the end of October. Flights from Tel Aviv will operate in the evening, arriving in Zagreb late at night, while return flights from Zagreb to Tel Aviv are planned after midnight, with arrival in Israel in the early morning hours. The route will be operated by Sun D’Or using Boeing 737 aircraft.
In parallel with Zagreb, Sun D’Or will also introduce a direct seasonal Tel Aviv–Dubrovnik service in the same period, likewise with two weekly flights, on Mondays and Fridays. Operations on this route are planned for the same seasonal window, from late May to late October. Flights to Dubrovnik will operate in the morning, with return services to Tel Aviv on the same day in the afternoon, clearly reflecting the strong leisure focus of the route and its suitability for tourist travel.
The return of both Zagreb and Dubrovnik is part of a much broader expansion of El Al’s network in the upcoming season. The airline has announced the launch of several new long-haul direct routes to Asia, including Hanoi, Seoul and Manila, marking El Al’s entry into some of these markets for the first time. These services will be operated by Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft and are intended to strengthen Tel Aviv’s role as a connecting hub between Europe and Asia.
Alongside the long-haul expansion, Sun D’Or is simultaneously growing its European leisure network, introducing several new seasonal destinations such as Basel, Catania, Cagliari and a return to Copenhagen for the first time in more than two decades. Within this context, Zagreb and Dubrovnik fit into the airline’s strategy of reinforcing its presence in Mediterranean and Central European markets with pronounced seasonal demand.
For the Croatian market, the simultaneous introduction of services to both Zagreb and Dubrovnik represents a significant step forward, linking Israel with both the continental and Adriatic parts of the country. Zagreb gains a stable seasonal connection to Israel’s main aviation hub, while Dubrovnik further reinforces its position as one of the key Mediterranean destinations for Israeli travellers. If demand and load factors prove strong, a longer operating season or increased weekly frequencies on both routes could be considered in the future.
