Israel's Haifa Airport resumes international flights after 4-year hiatus

Commercial flights from Israel's Haifa Airport to Cyprus will run six days a week, with two daily flights to Larnaca and one daily flight to Paphos.

 Arkia flight to Cyprus from Ramon Airport, August 22, 2022. (photo credit: COGAT)
Arkia flight to Cyprus from Ramon Airport, August 22, 2022.
(photo credit: COGAT)

The first commercial flight abroad took off Thursday morning from Haifa Airport, after a four-year hiatus.

After a four-year absence of international aviation activity, the first commercial flight to Cyprus took off Thursday morning from Haifa airport, as published in Walla! tourism. The flight schedule from Haifa is planned until the end of October.

Flights to Larnaca and Paphos will be operated six days a week in three round trips and will be carried out in a Bombardier 8-100 model narrow-body jet plane with 34 seat. Air Malta's aircraft will be operated by the company's staff and will be marketed by Issta and Israel Air for this purpose.

There are two daily flights to Larnaca from Haifa, the first will take off at 8:00 a.m. and another flight will take off in the afternoon at 3:30 p.m. The flights back from Larnaca to Haifa leave at 10:00 a.m. and another flight leaves at 5:30 p.m.

There will be one daily flight to Paphos from Haifa leaving at 11:45 a.m. and the return flight will take off from Paphos to Haifa at 1:30 p.m.

 THE VINEYARD next to the Ktima Gerolemo winery in central Cyprus. Wineries are blossoming on the island.  (credit: MICHAEL STARR)
THE VINEYARD next to the Ktima Gerolemo winery in central Cyprus. Wineries are blossoming on the island. (credit: MICHAEL STARR)

How much does a flight cost to Cyprus from Israel's North?

Sample prices marketed through Issta will be: a flight ticket only including taxes and a 7 kg trolley starting at $249 per person, and a package price for three nights with half board starting at $490 per person.

"The operation of the flights from Haifa Airport is intended for the convenience of the residents living from Netanya to Israel's North, and it is the result of strategic thinking and planning on an aviation model that includes a diverse flight schedule, with the goal of flying easily and saving time in the summer when the roads are busy, especially at Ben-Gurion Airport," Issta marketing and sales vice president Tali Noy said. "Come to the airport about an hour and a half before the flight. Enjoy free parking... and go through a very fast check-in process."

According to Israir's marketing and sales vice president Hila Hermolin Ronan, "We are attentive to our customers in the North and enable a short and pleasant customer experience from the moment they arrive at the airport. The first flights are already full, and we are also planning for to launch flights routes from Haifa to additional destinations."