[Flights Now Available For Purchase, Launch Scheduled For First Day Of Passover] For The First Time In 4 Decades, There Will Be Nonstop Flights Between Israel And Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt!

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Renaissance Sharm El Sheikh
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Update: Flights are now available for purchase. Arkia launches service on April 16th with 2 daily E-195 flights and Israir launches service on April 17th with a daily A320 flight. Ironically, those launch dates correspond the first and second days of Passover, so exactly 3,334 years to the date after the original Egyptian exodus, Jews will be flying into Egypt.

HT: michael2500


Israel and Egypt have come to an agreement to allow nonstop flights between Tel Aviv and Sharm El Sheikh, located at the southern tip of Sinai. The agreement will allow for Israeli security to ensure safety.

Arkia and Israir have already applied to begin service on the route next month.

The modern city of Sharm El Sheikh was founded by Israel after the 6 day war in 1967, prior to that it was not continuously inhabited. Egypt’s closing off access to the Strait of Tiran in May of 1967 blocked the ability for ships to reach Eilat and was considered an act of war by Israel.

After winning the 6 day war in June of 1967, Israel took control of Sinai and Sharm El Sheikh was considered critically important in order to retain control of the Strait of Tiran. Israel built the airport, a city, and tourist infrastructure there. Arkia flew nonstop from Tel Aviv and Eilat to Sharm and it proved to be a popular destination for Israelis.

Israel handed back the city together with the entire Sinai in 1982 as part of the Camp David Accords and peace treaty between Carter, Sadat, and Begin in 1978-1979. Flights between Sharm and Israel appear to have ceased in 1982.

Nonstop service between Tel Aviv and Cairo was mandated as part of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, but until this year, it was flown by Air Sinai, an EgyptAir with no livery on the plane.

Thanks to the Abraham Accords, EgyptAir took over that route earlier this year, making the first time that the full EgyptAir livery landed in Israel.

Sharm became a popular destination for Russians and Ukrainians, though tourist numbers to the city cratered after Thomson Airways Flight 476 from London to Sharm was nearly shot down by a missile on 8/23/15 and after an ISIS planted bomb took down Metrojet Flight 9268 on 10/31/15, an A321 flying from Sharm to S. Petersburg, killing all 224 onboard.

With the war in Ukraine, tourism in Sharm is once again hurting, which helped spark the recent agreement to bring Israeli tourists to the coastal city.

In 2007 in search of passport stamps, I drove with a couple of my brothers into Egypt. Word to the wise, don’t drive into Egypt, flying there is a much better way to get another stamp.

Sharm is known for its markets, beaches, resorts, and world class diving.Ā There are several point hotel bargains. The Hilton Sharks Bay Resort is 12K-20K Hilton points per night. The Sheraton Sharm Hotel, Resort, Villas & Spa, the Renaissance Sharm El Sheikh Golden View Beach Resort, and the Le MĆ©ridien Dahab Resort go for 10K-12.5K Marriott points per night. Alas, the bargain Hyatt Regency Sharm left the Hyatt chain last year.

Will you visit Sharm El Sheikh when direct flights begin from Israel? And when will Chabad of Sharm be opening their doors? šŸ˜€

HT: Baglach, via DDF

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29 Comments On "[Flights Now Available For Purchase, Launch Scheduled For First Day Of Passover] For The First Time In 4 Decades, There Will Be Nonstop Flights Between Israel And Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt!"

All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions arenā€™t provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.

CB

What’s more of a real danger Cartels in Cancun or ISIS in Sinai?

Mordy

Isis.

Dan\'s the Man

Recently it’s been cartels in cancun

Ben

Definitely will visit being in Israel thereā€™s nothing near by with the same standards and beauty then Sharm El Sheikh canā€™t wait and while Iā€™m at it will definitely get the pyramids in

Lets Go Brandon

trump keeps winning

Amir

hmmmm. hate to break it to you, but trump lost the election and hasn’t been in office for over a year. Did you even read the post? “With the war in Ukraine, tourism in Sharm is once again hurting, which helped spark the recent agreement to bring Israeli tourists to the coastal city.”

Shmuely

LGB

Ed Travel

Good news. They have fantastic redemption for points for hotels. Sharm El Sheikh is a great place to visit.

Emes

*Most of the Sinai. Taba was handed back in the late 80s IIRC. (I was there in 1986 when it was still in Israel’s hands.)

P.S. I walked across the border into Egypt in 1991 and they stamped my Passport A.R.E. without even asking. Not sure why you had a hard time when you drove.

Memere613

I imagine ā€œword to the wiseā€ is referring to current safety issues in the Sinai desertā€¦

Barry Reiner

Different to walk across and get into a bus or cab on that side than to drive oneā€™s own car across

mark n

Hilton sharks bay is often 12k points a night. It’s dynamic priced. I have stayed there many times for 5k points a night . During double hilton night promos last year the hotel was 5k points a night. Each 5 nights (5th free) was 20 points with a 10k milestone bonus in my case.. did this for 15 nights for nights 31-60. Cost was 60k hilton points and milestone bonuses of more than that lol. Free 15 nights .

reb yid

Looks like the eirev rav is at it again.

Phyllis

Am I the only one who finds it ironic? Pesach in Egypt?

Anon

Cue the song

Plini

Not worth the risk. Life is too valuable to risk on a vacay in Egypt.

I live nextdoor to a survivor and I drive a BMW

Isn’t there an idea that Jews should never return to Egypt?
Or is that a bunch of balogna?

Yochai

AFAIK, the Sinai peninsula is not in biblical Egypt, so although the title sounds cute itā€™s not really connected.

Meir

Can you explain your screen name? Are you trying to say that your insensitive or that your neighbor doesnā€™t mind? Either way itā€™s a strange flex.

Avi

Dan did you not see this fellow’s screen name? you shouldnt reply to such people….

Mister bee

What a shame a Jewish airline desecrating Yom Tov like that !

Jack Out of the Box

And Shabbos for an added bonus.
šŸ™

News from Reshet Bet....

Agreed
Btw, for those that want to walk (really simple procedure) or drive across the Taba border, keep up to date with the regulations. As of now, Israel is limiting 50 cars per day and border hours will be shorter thank usual. It is being protested here in Israel, as apparently many like the idea of vacationing in Egypt on Chol Hamoed.

Shmuely

This is awesome news!

Mendy

Sharm isn’t Egypt.

Chaim

So what is it?

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