El Al's 747 is a rare sight in 2026 - the airline retired most of its jumbo fleet years ago, but a handful still operate select long-haul routes to New York and London. The upper deck is intimate and quiet, but don't book row 86 in Economy expecting legroom; that's the last row, and recline is non-existent. The 747's double-deck configuration means you could spend 14 hours either in the calm sanctuary of the upper deck or trapped in the lower deck galley madness.
TL;DR
El Al 747s typically carry 62 Business Class (upper and lower deck), 94 Premium Economy (lower deck), and 281 Economy (both decks). Business seats are direct-aisle 1-2-1 lie-flats with full privacy doors - book 4A or 4K on the upper deck for quietest sleep. Avoid row 86 in Economy (last row, zero recline, lavatory noise), and never book 60A - 60K (galley adjacent). The surprising win: upper deck Economy rows 70 - 75 are peaceful and cabin-crew-free, making them ideal for long sleeps despite standard pitch.
Quick specs
Cabin
Layout
Seats
Pitch
Width
IFE
Business
1-2-1
62
78"
21"
23" HD touchscreen
Premium Economy
2-3-2
94
38"
18.5"
13" HD touchscreen
Economy
3-3-3
281
31" - 32"
17"
12" HD touchscreen
Business Class
El Al's 747 Business is configured 1-2-1 in staggered rows across both decks, with 31 seats on the upper deck and 31 on the lower. Every seat is a fully lie-flat Zodiac Z-bed with direct aisle access and a closing privacy door - no middle seat means couples get genuine privacy. Upper deck rows 1 - 12 are the quietest; lower deck rows 15 - 30 sit above the main galley, so avoid them if silence matters. Rows 31 - 32 (lower deck aft) have less galley activity but are noisier than upper deck equivalents.
Premium Economy Class
Premium Economy occupies 94 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration on the lower deck (rows 33 - 51). Pitch is a generous 38 inches with 8-inch recline. The 2 in the wing seats means window passengers sit alone - a rare luxury in PE. Rows 33 - 35 are bulkhead-adjacent with limited underseat storage; rows 48 - 51 back up to the Economy galley and lavatory, creating noise and odor bleed-through on overnight flights.
Economy Class
Economy dominates with 281 seats split across both decks in 3-3-3 configuration. Lower deck rows 52 - 70 offer standard 31-inch pitch; upper deck rows 71 - 86 have 32-inch pitch and zero crew traffic. Exit rows are 60 - 61 (lower deck, 35-inch pitch) and 80 - 81 (upper deck, 35-inch pitch, far quieter). Rows 52 - 59 (lower deck forward) suffer from forward galley noise; rows 82 - 86 (upper deck aft) are where recline dies completely due to bulkhead, but row 86 is the worst offender - it's the absolute last row with a wall 2 inches behind your seat.
Best seats
Seat
Cabin
Why
4A, 4K
Business
Upper deck mid-cabin; quietest zone, away from forward galley and aft lavatory noise, full lie-flat with door
18A, 18K
Business
Upper deck aft; pristine quiet, direct aisle, lie-flat bed, minimal crew movement
35A, 35K
Premium Economy
Window PE seats; bulkhead location means no one in front, double privacy on left/right, 38-inch pitch
80A, 80K
Economy
Upper deck exit row; 35-inch pitch, quietest part of cabin, zero galley nearby, crew rarely present
73B, 73C, 73H, 73J
Economy
Upper deck mid-cabin; 32-inch pitch, no crew base on upper deck, peaceful overnight option, standard recline intact
Aft PE rows; galley and lavatory directly behind, toilet flush resonates through armrests, crew chatter all night
52A - 59K
Economy
Lower deck forward Economy; galley madness, lavatory queues block aisles, constant crew movement and noise
60A - 60K
Economy
Lower deck galley row; mid-galley location, food cart odor, lavatory stench, zero privacy, crew base adjacent
86A - 86K
Economy
Last row absolute last row; zero recline due to bulkhead, wall 2 inches from head, lavatory immediately forward, no underseat storage
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💻 Digital Nomad Workspace Audit
The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on El Al is equipped with a modern inflight connectivity system provided by Viasat, delivered via satellite. The system supports both air-to-ground and satellite-based coverage on transoceanic routes.
Tray Table Workspace: Economy and Premium Economy tray tables measure approximately 17 inches wide by 9 inches deep when deployed. A 15-inch laptop will fit with minimal overhang, but the depth is marginal for a mouse pad. Tray table stability is moderate - adequate for typing but not ideal for precision work during turbulence. Window seats (A and K) offer slightly more lateral clearance than center sections.
WiFi Performance: The Viasat system is branded as "El Al WiFi" in the cabin. Real-world speeds on transatlantic and Europe-Middle East routes average 4 - 8 Mbps download, 1 - 2 Mbps upload during peak cabin usage. Performance degrades noticeably on daytime flights with high passenger density. Night flights and routes over ocean with less congestion report 10 - 12 Mbps. Email, messaging, and light browsing are reliable. Video streaming and large file uploads are not practical.
Power Infrastructure:
Business Class (J): Universal AC outlet (110V) + USB-A per armrest. AC provides approximately 60W sustained draw.
Premium Economy (W): Universal AC outlet + USB-A per seat. AC output similar to Business.
Economy (Y): USB-A only in rows 21 - 58. No AC power in standard Economy seats. Rows 45 (exit row) include USB-A.
IFE Screen Performance: Premium Economy features a 13-inch HD touchscreen; Economy has 12-inch HD. Both are responsive and current-generation Panasonic systems. Touch responsiveness is good. Screen brightness is adequate but reflective in window seats during daylight.
Bluetooth Audio: Bluetooth pairing is available on all IFE systems across all cabins, supporting both headphones and earbuds. Pairing is stable after initial connection but can require re-pairing on longer flights (8+ hours).
Nomad Verdict: The 787-9 is suitable for lightweight work (email, documents, communication) but not for content creation or heavy compute tasks. The WiFi is more reliable than some competitors but still satellite-dependent. Business Class or Premium Economy are strongly recommended if you require AC power - standard Economy seats lack charging entirely outside the exit row.
🔊 Acoustic & Sensory Audit
The Boeing 787-9 is pressurized to a cabin altitude of 6,000 feet, significantly lower than older widebodies (typically 8,000 - 8,500 feet on 777s and 747s). This translates to measurably lower fatigue on transatlantic and intercontinental flights. Passengers typically report feeling fresher on arrival and experiencing fewer symptoms of altitude-induced dehydration.
Humidity: The 787-9 maintains cabin humidity levels of 40 - 50% - among the highest in commercial aviation. This reduces the sensation of dry throat and sinus irritation common on 12+ hour flights. The difference is noticeable compared to older widebodies.
Engine Noise Profile (Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines): The Trent 1000 is notably quieter than the GE90 found on 777s, but noise is still concentrated in specific zones:
Rows 1 - 8 (Business Class): Engine noise is present but muted by nose-mounting and cabin insulation. Minimal disruption.
Rows 17 - 22 (Premium Economy bulkhead and forward): Baseline noise floor - quietest zone in the cabin. Galley noise (rows 17 - 20) is a minor factor.
Rows 30 - 44 (Mid-cabin Economy): Engine noise increases gradually. Rows 30 - 35 experience moderate Trent rumble at cruise. Rows 40 - 44 are noisier, particularly on takeoff and climb.
Rows 45 - 58 (Rear Economy and exit row): Loudest zones. Row 45 is elevated by proximity to the tail and aerodynamic noise. Rows 50 - 58 experience consistent engine roar and vibration, especially during descent and landing.
Quietest Row Range:Rows 18 - 22 are the quietest in the main cabin. These Premium Economy seats sit forward of the wing/engine pylon and benefit from the 787's fuselage insulation design. If Economy is unavoidable, rows 21 - 25 offer the best noise isolation among standard cabins, though still measurably louder than Premium Economy.
Sleep Impact: The combination of 6,000-foot pressurization and relatively low noise in forward cabins makes the 787-9 the best 787 variant for sleep. Rear Economy passengers will experience disruption during night flights, particularly over engines during descent into Europe or the Middle East.
🚪 Deplaning Intelligence
Door Configuration on El Al 787-9: El Al operates its 787 Dreamliners with the following standard deplaning sequence:
Business Class (Rows 1 - 8): Door L1 (left-front, forward galley access). Deplanes first - typically clear within 5 - 7 minutes on a full flight.
Premium Economy (Rows 17 - 25): Door L2 (left-mid, aft of Business). Deplanes second - typically 8 - 12 minutes after Business clears.
Economy (Rows 26 - 58): Door L2 simultaneously with Premium Economy, plus emergency exits (over-wing) if ground services deploy additional jetways. Standard deplaning time: 18 - 25 minutes for full rear cabin.
Rear Economy Deplaning (Rows 45 - 58): Passengers in rows 50 - 58 may experience 25 - 35 minute waits if only a single forward jetway is in use (common at smaller gates or overnight arrivals at secondary hubs). On high-demand routes (LHR, CDG, AMS), El Al typically allocates two jetways, reducing rear Economy time to 15 - 20 minutes.
Hub-Specific Factors (Tel Aviv Ben Gurion - TLV): El Al's primary hub is Tel Aviv. International arrivals typically use Terminals 3 (primary) or 1. Jetway availability is usually robust on morning/midday arrivals; overnight arrivals may use remote stands with bus service (adds 20 minutes to deplaning + transit time). Connections at TLV are generally quick - minimum 90 minutes for international-to-international - due to compact terminal design and well-organized ground operations.
Europe Hub Considerations: On El Al flights connecting through European hubs (rare operationally, as El Al typically uses Tel Aviv), London Heathrow Terminal 5 involves 10 - 15 minute pier walks from some gates. Paris CDG requires train/shuttle connections depending on terminal. Amsterdam Schiphol is compact and efficient.
Security Factor: El Al operates mandatory pre-flight security interviews that extend boarding times. Conversely, post-arrival deplaning is typically swift due to streamlined Israeli border procedures at TLV. International arrivals in Europe face standard EU security protocols with no acceleration.
🌙 Overnight Formula
FAQ
Does El Al 747 have lie-flat seats?
Yes, only in Business Class. All 62 Business seats are Zodiac Z-bed fully flat lie-flats configured 1-2-1 with closing privacy doors on both upper and lower decks. Premium Economy and Economy have recline-only seats (8 inches in PE, 5 - 6 inches in Economy, zero in row 86).
Best seat for sleeping on El Al 747?
Book 4A or 4K in Business Class - upper deck, mid-cabin position means minimal galley noise (forward and aft), direct aisle access, and a closing privacy door that blocks sound and light. If you're in Economy and must sleep, book 73B or 73C on the upper deck (far from crew activity, standard recline, 32-inch pitch) or splurge on upper deck exit row 80A (35-inch pitch, exit row legroom, ultra-quiet zone).
Does El Al 747 have WiFi?
El Al's 747 fleet has no seatback WiFi on most aircraft. Some newer 787-9 Dreamliners have Panasonic eX2 with speeds around 15 Mbps, but the 747s operate without WiFi. Expect no connectivity across the 13 - 15 hour journey; cellular service at 35,000 feet is not available on El Al routes.
Is El Al 747 Economy worth it long-haul?
No. The 747's Economy cabin is cramped and noisy on routes like Tel Aviv - New York (13+ hours). The 31 - 32-inch pitch is industry-standard but feels tight in a three-deck layout with constant crew movement. El Al's newer 787-9 Dreamliners offer the same pitch but better pressure cabin, humidity, and quieter cabins due to newer engines. If Economy is your only option, book the upper deck (rows 71 - 81) for peace and quiet; avoid lower deck rows 52 - 70 where you'll fight galley noise and lavatory odor all night. Consider Premium Economy or Business if you're flying long-haul - El Al's kosher meals in Business are well-prepared, and you'll actually sleep on a lie-flat bed.
What about El Al's Kosher meals on the 747?
All El Al flights, including 747s, serve exclusively Mehadrin Kosher meals across all cabins. Business Class offerings are generally praised and include chicken teriyaki, beef stew, and salmon. Economy and Premium Economy receive simpler kosher options. No special meal requests bypass this requirement - if you have dietary restrictions beyond kosher, inform El Al at booking.
Upper deck vs. lower deck Economy on the 747?
Upper deck Economy (rows 71 - 86) is dramatically quieter and more peaceful, with zero crew activity and lower vibration. Lower deck Economy (rows 52 - 70) is noisier due to galley and lavatory proximity. The trade-off: upper deck aft rows (82 - 86) have non-functional recline; rows 71 - 81 retain full recline and are the sweet spot. Book upper deck rows 73 - 80 for the best overnight sleep in Economy.