History was made today (Monday) when the first flight of Air Cairo, a subsidiary of Egypt’s national carrier (Egyptair), took off from Ben Gurion Airport to Sharm el-Sheikh, with about 170 Israeli passengers on board. The airline will operate a 3-weekly route from Tel Aviv to Sharm on the latest Airbus 320.

It is the first time ever that an Egyptian plane flies Israeli holidaymakers directly from Ben Gurion Airport to Sharm el-Sheikh. This historical moment is a product of the bilateral agreement signed by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett with his Egyptian counterpart, President Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil el-Sisi.

Minister of Tourism Yoel Razvozov attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the inaugural Air Cairo flight, saying: “Tourism is the bridgehead of diplomatic ties between the countries. The historic peace treaty with Egypt, followed by peace with Jordan and, more recently, the Abraham Accords with the UAE and Bahrain, led to fruitful cooperation cementing the bridge between the countries. A good example of these ties is the new route between Ben Gurion Airport and Sharm el-Sheikh.”

Hanny Sobol, CEO of Diesenhaus: “Operating direct flights between Israel and Sharm el-Sheikh would allow tens of thousands of Israelis to vacation in their all-time favorite place [the Sinai Peninsula]. And the best proof is this inaugural flight, fully booked by 170 Israelis and their families.”

Diesenhaus is the sole representative of the Egyptian airline, offering Israeli holidaymakers packages at dozens of hotels and resorts in Sharm el-Sheikh, including water parks. Prices start at $630 per person (including flights) in a double room for the weekend.