Direct air connectivity between Israel and Morocco is set to return this summer, with Israeli carrier Arkia revealing plans on Wednesday to restart scheduled service following a three-year pause triggered by the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
Beginning Aug. 24, the airline will run twice-weekly non-stop flights connecting Israel to Marrakech, with one-way ticket prices starting at $329, according to a JNS report.
Israel’s national airline, El Al, has not yet announced a return to its North American or North African routes servicing Morocco.
Tourism executives inside Israel welcomed the announcement, pointing to strong interest among local travelers.
“The resumption of direct flights to Marrakech is fantastic news for the Israeli public, and we are already seeing tremendous demand for the destination," Yoni Waxman, deputy chairman of Israel’s Ophir Tours, told JNS.
“The fact that Arkia has announced the resumption of flights to Morocco with the Israeli security apparatus supporting the decision is quite promising," Mark Feldman, CEO of Jerusalem’s Ziontours, told JNS. “Sadly, if the Iran war heats up, Arkia may postpone that resumption as Israelis are concerned that attacks on Israel will resume."
Morocco restored diplomatic ties with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords, a US-brokered initiative during President Donald Trump’s first term in office, that has led to increased cooperation between the two countries.
Since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in October 2023, there have been recurring mass protests in Morocco urging the government to withdraw from the normalization agreement.
A protest in December of 2023 saw thousands staging a march in Rabat, demanding an end to Morocco's ties with Israel.
Around one million Israeli citizens trace their ancestry to Morocco. In 2022, approximately 200,000 Israelis traveled to the North African country, with many undertaking heritage visits to explore their family roots.