Arkia Temporarily Suspends Direct Flights to Baku Until March 2027
Arkia Israeli Airlines has temporarily suspended its flights to Baku until March 2027, leaving Israir and Azerbaijan Airlines as the remaining direct carriers on the route amidst recent network adjustments.
Arkia Israeli Airlines has temporarily suspended its direct flights to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, starting mid-November. The carrier, which currently operates three weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, announced that operations on this route will halt on November 13 and are expected to resume in March 2027, with one-way fares starting from $103. The company did not provide an official reason for the temporary suspension.
Following Arkia's withdrawal, travel options for Israeli passengers have narrowed, leaving only two airlines operating direct flights from Ben Gurion Airport to Baku: Israir Airlines, owned by businessman Rami Levy, and Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL). Ticket prices for the winter season during Arkia's absence range from $114 to nearly $300 one-way on Israir, while Azerbaijan Airlines charges between $121 and $320 or more for a single journey.
AZAL holds a distinct advantage in flight frequency, operating approximately three flights daily across all seven days of the week, whereas Israir operates daily flights on five days a week. Furthermore, Azerbaijan Airlines includes a 10 kg trolley and a personal item in its basic ticket fare, while Israir's base ticket covers only a small personal item.
This decision compounds recent route adjustments for Arkia. Two weeks ago, the airline announced a significant delay in launching its highly anticipated direct route to Tokyo due to Japanese authorities refusing to approve wet-lease operations. Despite months of diplomatic and administrative efforts, Japanese regulators barred the use of leased aircraft on the route, forcing the cancellation of inaugural flights scheduled for late October and early November 2026.
In addition, following new security directives issued by Israeli defense authorities, Arkia suspended ticket sales for its Tel Aviv-Marrakech route indefinitely. Company management emphasized that the situation remains under continuous review with the relevant competent authorities.
