El Al’s SFO–TLV Is Back – And It’s a Big Deal  

SFO’s International Terminal hosted a launch celebration for El Al’s restored nonstop flights between San Francisco and Tel Aviv. Airline representatives, flight crew, and airport managers gathered for speeches and a ribbon-cutting that marked the official return of the route.

NOW ! Celebration at SFO for the launch of nonstop service from SFO to TLV Israel. Dignitaries, flight crew, airport operations here. I’m proud to be here on hand to report on this milestone in serving San Francisco /Silicon Valley and Israel. It’s is 15 hr flight btw. https://t.co/6ncwVAU8VW

— Richie Greenberg (@greenbergnation) October 28, 2026

The flights (numbered LY49, a nod to the 49ers) operate three times a week on Boeing 787 Dreamliners. After more than six years without a direct option – service was disrupted by Covid-19 – it’s finally running again, and the celebration made the milestone feel real.

This route is a big deal because of how tightly linked Israel and Silicon Valley already are. Israel is still called Startup Nation, and the Bay Area remains a major center of money and talent.

Israeli company representatives fly out to raise from VCs, open offices, hire people, and sell into the U.S. market. Silicon Valley firms invest in Israeli startups, buy them, or run R&D teams there. A lot of this still works better in person.

A nonstop turns what used to be a slog of connections, sometimes delayed or missed, into a roughly 15-hour flight. For founders, engineers, and investors who need to move between the two places for meetings and deals, that means less airport time, less exhaustion, and more productive days on the ground. It also helps the Israelis who already live here – tens of thousands across the Bay Area – many with families and children in local schools, careers here, and family back in Israel.

The direct flight makes it much easier to travel home for holidays or family events.

San Francisco and Haifa have been official sister cities since 1973. That longstanding relationship has led several San Francisco mayors to visit Israel with delegations over the years.

Jewish Americans on the West Coast now have a simpler way to see family or do cultural, community, and civic leadership trips. Tourists and tour groups benefit too – Tel Aviv’s beaches and food scene, Jerusalem’s religious and archaeological history, and everything in between become less of a logistical hassle. Christian pilgrims are also a major part of American travel to Israel; church groups and specialized tours focused on the biblical sites will find the nonstop option more practical.

At a moment when public debate around Israel is often heated, the resumption of ordinary, practical travel and the reality of existing, strong business ties offers a quieter counterweight.