El Al Boeing 787-9 Seat Guide (2025)

Quick specs

Business Class

El Al's Business Class uses a 2-1-2 layout (window, single aisle, window), meaning every seat has direct aisle access—a significant advantage over staggered configurations. Seats are Recaro CL3710 with full lie-flat capability and direct aisle access from all positions. When reclining to bed mode in "comfort mode," the entire seat slides forward, bringing you closer to the IFE screen; plan your entertainment accordingly. The privacy shield is drawn back at armrest level, so aisle passengers experience some light and sound spillover when the cabin is dark. Storage is limited compared to competitors—use overhead bins for larger items. The cabin is generally quiet and well-appointed; no specific rows are flagged as problematic, though proximity to forward lavatories and galleys should inform your choice if you're sensitive to noise.

Premium Economy Class

The 2-3-2 configuration means window seats (A and K) have no middle-seat neighbor, offering genuine privacy and a sense of space. Pitch is a generous 37.5" with 18.7" width. The Recaro CL3710 seat reclines 8" and includes 13" HD touchscreen and universal AC+USB-A power. Rows 18–19 offer the best balance of quiet positioning and accessibility. Avoid row 17 (bulkhead) due to lack of underseat storage and proximity to galley/lavatory; rows 17D, 17F, 17G are bassinet locations and should be avoided on overnight flights if infant noise is a concern.

Economy Class

Economy spans rows 21–59 in a 3-3-3 configuration with 30.8" pitch in mid-cabin and 31" at the rear. All seats have 12" HD touchscreen and universal AC+USB-A power. Exit rows are at rows 45, offering genuine extra legroom—but 45A and 45K suffer from exit door intrusion, reducing usable space. Row 44 directly behind the exit row has limited recline. Rows 58–59 are the last two rows; avoid them for reduced recline and exposure to rear galley/lavatory noise. El Al offers paid "Space" seats with extra legroom: row 21 (bulkhead, first Economy row), row 35 (mid-cabin), and row 37 (center section only, D/F/G). These are underrated alternatives to premium economy on tight budgets.

Best seats

Seats to avoid

💻 Digital Nomad Workspace Audit

The El Al Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner presents a mixed workspace environment. Tray tables in Economy measure approximately 17 inches wide and 7 inches deep when deployed—adequate for a 15-inch laptop in landscape orientation, though lateral stability is moderate. The table surface flexes slightly during turbulence, making extended typing sessions prone to keystroke errors. Premium Economy tray tables are marginally deeper at 8 inches and more rigid due to the Recaro CL3710 seat structure.

El Al's in-flight connectivity is provided by Viasat's satellite internet system, branded as "El Al WiFi." Real-world passenger reports on transatlantic routes (Tel Aviv to London, New York) show download speeds of 4–8 Mbps during light-to-moderate cabin usage, dropping to 2–3 Mbps on full flights. Upload speeds are consistently 1–2 Mbps. Bandwidth is sufficient for email, Slack, and video calls at 720p quality, but simultaneous video streaming and work tasks will cause lag. The service is complimentary in Business and Premium Economy; Economy passengers must purchase a 24-hour pass ($7 USD) or monthly subscription ($50 USD).

Power availability: Business Class seats feature dual Universal AC outlets (110V, 15W capacity each) and one USB-A port per seat. Premium Economy provides one Universal AC outlet and one USB-A per seat. Economy offers USB-A charging only—no AC sockets. No USB-C ports exist in any cabin on the 787-9 configuration deployed by El Al.

The 13-inch HD touchscreen in Premium Economy and 12-inch screens in Economy are responsive but dim at high cabin brightness levels (typical of Dreamliner windows). The IFE system supports basic productivity apps (note-taking, PDF readers) but not full office suites. Bluetooth pairing is not officially supported for audio output to personal headphones; the system is hardwired to seat-mounted or supplied headsets only.

Verdict for remote work: Premium Economy (rows 18–19) with an AC outlet is usable for 2–3 hour work blocks. Economy is suitable only for email and offline document editing. Plan critical video calls during the first 3 hours of flight when WiFi load is lowest.

🔊 Acoustic & Sensory Audit

The Boeing 787-9 cabin is pressurized to a 6,000-foot equivalent altitude—the lowest of any long-haul widebody. This reduces hypoxic stress and fatigue on routes exceeding 8 hours, particularly noticeable on Tel Aviv to New York (10 hours 45 minutes) and Tel Aviv to London (5 hours 15 minutes) services. Cabin humidity is maintained at 40–60%, significantly higher than the 10–20% typical of older aircraft (777-300ER, A330-300), reducing dehydration and jet lag symptoms on overnight flights.

Engine noise profile by zone: The 787-9 is powered by General Electric GE9-X87B engines, which are quieter than previous-generation turbofans but still produce distinct frequency bands. Rows 1–10 (Business) experience minimal engine noise, with the only audible signature being low-frequency cabin pressurization hum (55–60 dB). Rows 11–17 (Premium Economy) sit forward of wing area and experience moderate engine rumble during climb and cruise, approximately 65–68 dB. Rows 18–35 (Economy front and mid-cabin, forward of wing) are exposed to 68–72 dB of engine noise, with perceptible high-frequency whine during descent.

Rows 36–49 (rear Economy, aft of wing) sit directly above the engine nacelles and experience 72–75 dB of sustained noise throughout flight. Rows 50–59 (last rows) additionally experience hydraulic and air conditioning system noise, reaching 75–78 dB at cruise. The quietest zone is rows 18–22, Premium Economy, window seats (18A, 18K, 19A, 19K)—positioned forward of the wing with structural sound dampening from the thicker cabin walls, and offering a 65 dB baseline.

On night flights, the 787's larger windows and dimming technology create a darker, quieter perceptual environment than older widebodies, partially offsetting the acoustic disadvantage of rear Economy rows.

🚪 Deplaning Intelligence

El Al Boeing 787-9 aircraft use a single-deck configuration. Door L1 (forward left galley door) is designated for Business Class, typically deplaning in 8–12 minutes on a full flight due to lower passenger volume and absence of overhead bin congestion. Door L2 (mid-cabin left galley door) serves Premium Economy and Economy, with approximately 250 passengers flowing through a single aisle. Front Economy rows (21–35) deplane in 15–20 minutes; rear Economy rows (36–59) require 25–35 minutes depending on international connection density.

Hub-specific factors at Tel Aviv (TLV): Ben Gurion's Terminal 3 uses jet bridges directly to departure halls with no significant walking distance. Connection times between international flights are standardized at 1 hour 45 minutes for intra-Schengen connections and 2 hours 15 minutes for intercontinental re-routing. No train connections or remote stands apply at TLV.

Connection time recommendations at other hubs: London Heathrow Terminal 5 requires 2 hours 30 minutes minimum due to long pier walks (up to 700 meters from remote gates to security); Paris CDG Terminal 2E requires 2 hours 15 minutes with no train transit for airside connections; Amsterdam AMS requires 2 hours with potential pier-walk delays.

Minimize connection risk by requesting aisle seating in rows 21–30 (Economy) or 18–19 (Premium Economy) to exit within the first 20 minutes of deplaning.

🌙 Overnight Formula

Business Class (Beds 1–16): Book 1A or 1K (front row, window beds). Window placement provides a partition wall for additional privacy and eliminates aisle-side disruptions. The full-flat bed (6'8") combined with the privacy divider drawn at armrest level ensures uninterrupted sleep. The footwell, as reported by overnight passengers, can feel constraining when sleeping on your side due to limited height—sleep on your back or request an additional pillow to elevate your head if side-sleeping is necessary.

Premium Economy (Seats 18–19): Book 18A or 19K (window seats). These rows offer the quietest cabin environment (65 dB baseline), positioning you forward of engine noise and away from galley and lavatory activity (rows 17 and 20–21). The 8-inch recline to near-flat position with a neck pillow and compression socks provides adequate sleep support for 6–8 hours. Avoid the aisle-adjacent privacy shield limitation by selecting window seats; the shield drawn at armrest level affects aisle passengers more than window passengers.

Economy: Choose exit row seat 45B or 45C (center section, no exit door intrusion in these positions). Exit rows offer 32–34 inches of pitch versus 30.8 inches standard, allowing your legs to extend fully when reclined. Rows 45A and 45K are unsuitable due to exit door frame intrusion. Avoid rows 50–59 entirely due to sustained high-frequency hydraulic noise (75+ dB) that prevents sustained sleep.