El Al retired the 747 on November 3, 2019, after 48 years — the final flight from Rome traced a 747 silhouette over the Mediterranean on its way to Tel Aviv. Nothing in the fleet has four engines anymore. Here’s what to book instead.
No — El Al retired its last 747 on November 3, 2019. The final flight, LY1747 from Rome to Tel Aviv, descended to 10,000 feet and drew a 747 outline over the Mediterranean before landing. The 787-9 now covers the routes the jumbo flew. Any El Al 747 seat advice you find is years out of date.
El Al took its first two 747-200s in 1971 and operated 26 of the type across passenger and cargo variants. The fleet’s defining moment came in May 1991, when a 747 flew more than 1,000 passengers from Addis Ababa to Tel Aviv during Operation Solomon — still the record for the most passengers carried on a single commercial flight.
The 787-9 Dreamliner replaced the 747 on flagship routes including Tel Aviv–New York, and it is where seat selection now makes or breaks the flight.
No. Last commercial flight November 3, 2019 (LY1747, Rome–Tel Aviv). El Al’s fleet is all twin-engine now.
A farewell charter that drew a 747 silhouette over the Mediterranean — the aircraft was 4X-ELC.
The 787-9, which took over Tel Aviv–New York and other long-haul routes.