Review of EL AL Israel Airlines Business Class

Ben Gurion Airport is Israel's main international airport located on the northern outskirts of the city of Lod, some 45 kilometres (28 miles) northwest of Jerusalem and 20 kilometres (12 miles) southeast of Tel Aviv. Originally called Lod Airport, it was renamed in 1973 in honour of David Ben-Gurion, Israel's founder and first Prime Minister.

Ben Gurion Airport's Terminal 3 is the newest and is dedicated to international flights; Terminal 1 services domestic and some international flights. Terminals 2 and 4 are inactive. Regular shuttle buses connect the two active terminals.

El Al Business Class passengers enjoy express check-in at designated Business Class counters (desks 100-106) along with fast-track security – a real bonus given the robust security procedures within the airport. Passengers are advised to allow plenty of time before departure, and this is still good advice to follow, even when experiencing the benefits of expedited queuing.

Passengers receive a generous complimentary luggage allowance of two pieces of checked luggage not exceeding 32 kilograms each, plus two carry-on bags not exceeding 20 kilograms in total and a personal item. 

The King David Business Lounge is located in Terminal 3 on Concourse D, across from Gate D1. It's exclusively for EL AL Business Class passengers and elite members of its Matmid frequent flyer program. One guest is permitted if they share the same flight, and the lounge can be accessed around three hours before departure.

The Lounge is a modern, light-filled space staged over two floors. The ground floor has lounge seating, comfortable leather armchairs, and a dining area. There's a business centre, free Wi-Fi, power and USB ports and newspapers. The smaller mezzanine gallery floor overlooks it and is accessible via lift or stairs. It has additional seating, a small buffet area, a smoking room and cigar bar, shower suites, and a complimentary spa operated by Brown Hotels, offering treatments focused on zones of the body to relieve stress and tension or stimulate blood flow – especially useful before a long flight.

Food in the King David Lounge is strictly Kosher, with no outside food and beverages. A well-stocked buffet provides soups, pasta dishes, salads, fresh fruit, pastries, hot pizza and focaccia bread, cookies etc. There's also complimentary wine and spirits and an assortment of soft drinks. It's a modest offering but fine for breakfast or a snack.

Other partner lounges are available worldwide, including London Heathrow – BLUSH lounge, Paris, Charles de Gaulle – EXTIME lounge and New York, JFK – Virgin Clubhouse.

EL AL operates two cabin configurations: two-cabin (Business Class and Economy Class) and three-cabin (Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class).

The best overall offering is available on the EL AL's fleet of 16 widebody Dreamliners. The cabins are rendered in an appealing tan, brown and grey palette. Each seat has aisle access, a generous footwell and plenty of storage. The Dreamliners also features a QI inductive charging point (wireless charging) and jetlite's Human Centric Lighting technology, which changes the colour temperature of the lighting to reflect your sleep cycle and changing time zones.

Business Class seating options vary according to the aircraft:

The Boeing 787-9 has 32 Business First flatbed seats with a width of 21 inches, a pitch of 42-43 inches and a bed length of 78 inches, arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. Single window seats alternate between the seat being directly next to the window on even numbered rows – offering the most privacy, and seats nearer to the aisle, offering slightly easier access. The middle two seats are best for passengers travelling with a companion but also provide a privacy screen. The 787-8 has 20 Business Class seats with the same dimensions and arrangement. Both aircraft boast the latest luxurious Recaro CL6710 seat (described by Recaro as 'a hotel in the sky') with deluxe covers and trim.

Due to high passenger demands, in 2021, the carrier returned six defunct Boeing 777-200 to service for flights to Bangkok, Phuket, Athens and Dubai. These aircraft have 35 Business Class angle-flat seats in a 2-3-2 configuration with a seat width of 20 inches (50.8 centimetres) and a pitch of 75-76 inches (190.5 – 193 centimetres).

However, El Al is reconfiguring all six B777s with cabins more in line with the B787 fleet. Following a delay, the first reconfigured 777 will take the skies in August 2023, with flights from Tel Aviv to Bangkok and Paris. The new-look 777s will no longer have a First Class cabin and instead offer 28 Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration with direct aisle access for everyone, and for the first time, will also provide a Premium Economy cabin. The Business Class seats will be the same luxurious Recaro CL6710 seat as the Boeing 787s.

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes images, videos, and seat maps for most airlines and aircraft Search results also include details such as seat pitch, width and recline. This way, you can see the seat and cabin configuration of the flight in which you are interested before making your choice.

EL AL offers only Mehadrin Kosher inflight meals, with menus varying according to the route and is one of the highlights of the flight with delicious and fresh menu options.

Inflight meals are served express (in one serving) unless requested otherwise – when passengers will receive their meals as individual courses.

El Al has upgraded its Business Class meal options with new meat and fish dishes and revised breakfast options on all flights from Tel Aviv and those originating in Europe. Sample dishes include starters of lentils with diced salmon and sweet potatoes and a main course option of Entrecôte steak with bulgur and lentils with sweet potatoes and broccoli, and Asian-style marinated chicken with rice, string beans and roasted aubergine. Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy chocolate marquise coated with salted pretzels.

Breakfast options include a selection of gourmet spreads, including cream cheese, tuna salad and olive tapenade. A salted cheese frittata served with shakshuka sauce plus a sweet cheese and caramel mousse to finish.

Meals can be selected in advance via the airline’s website.

Special meals are available and include vegan meals, vegetarian (with dairy), diabetic meals, gluten-free, fruit meals, and children’s meals. Check your flight on the airline’s website to check the availability of all meals – early ordering is recommended by the airline. 

Business Class passengers are offered a glass of kosher Israeli sparkling wine and chocolates as they board the aircraft. A selection of white and red wines from some of the best Israeli wineries is available to pair with the inflight meal or enjoy alone. Israel has more than 300 vineyards spread across the country, producing more than 60,000 tons of wine grapes per year. Of the 40 million bottles of wine produced annually, 70% are reds and 30% whites.

There is a good selection of other spirits, soft drinks, juices, teas and coffee.

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes information on which Champagne is served in Business Class and First Class on many airlines. We do our best to keep track of any changes but feel free to let us know if we missed something.

The cabin crew on EL AL generally provide high levels of personal service. The current EL AL crew uniform is a sober affair in navy, with the female crew uniforms accessorised with a wavy multi-coloured stripe print scarf. It won't win any awards, but it does look professional.

EL AL in-flight entertainment differs depending on the aircraft type. The Boeing 787 Dreamliners and the updated B777 fleet are equipped with high-definition touch screens with additional hand controllers.

Passengers can enjoy the latest movies, television series, music, audio content, and games. A dedicated children's channel features child-friendly games and Disney content.

Visit El Al's website for a sample of the latest content.

The Boeing 777s that still need to be updated and the Boeing 737 short- and medium-haul fleet do not have IFE screens. Passengers are encouraged to use the built-in cradle for their smartphones & tablets and stream entertainment directly to their devices via the El Al wireless internet network.   

EL AL has a speedy Wi-Fi service on all Boeing 787s (and some 777s and 737s) flights to and from Europe, the Middle East, and North America. There are three chargeable plans - Basic, Social, and Business. The Basic and Social packages only allow you to use a smartphone or tablet, but you'll need the Business package if you want to use your laptop.

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes information on inflight entertainment and Wi-Fi.

EL AL Business Class passengers receive a Teb Baker branded amenity kit with toothbrush and toothpaste, socks, ear plugs, eye mask, hand cream and lip balm by L'Occitane. Long-haul passengers receive slippers, duvets and pillows.

For its operations in the region and Europe, EL AL typically deploys the Boeing 737. The 737-900 has 16 Business Class recliner seats with a width of 21 inches and a pitch of 44 inches in a 2-2 configuration. The 737-800 is the same, but the seat pitch is 42 inches. The narrow-body fleet offers a refreshed seat design by international design company PriestmanGoode, which has also designed the cabin products featured onboard the EL AL Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Seats on the Boeing 737s feature an adjustable four-position headrest and a table that includes a built-in stand for a smartphone or tablet. Amenity kits are provided even on relatively short flights sich as from Tel aviv to Paris or London.

EL AL's acquisition of 16 Dreamliners in 2017 - its biggest-ever order - is part of the airline's commitment to seeking fuel efficiencies and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving energy and reducing noise pollution.

In June 2023, El Al further showed its responsibility to reduce carbon emissions by joining world-leading airlines in the IATA Environmental Assessment Program to improve its environmental and sustainable performance. And in a landmark flight just one month later, El Al took possession of its newest Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner direct from the Boeing factory in Seattle using 30 per cent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). This is the first time the airline has used SAF and is a milestone in the airline's strategic plan and commitment to greener skies.  

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes information on CO2 emissions for each flight. Our quality algorithms also score higher on flights operated by the most modern and environmentally friendly aircraft.