Israeli flag-carrier El Al expects to have all six Boeing 777-200ERs in its fleet reconfigured by the end of the first quarter next year.
The airline has been refitting the 279-seat twinjets to feature a 313-seat layout and a cabin consistent with that of its Boeing 787s.
El Al retired two 777s in 2021 in response to depleted demand during the Covid-19 pandemic, and originally wrote down their value.
But as traffic recovered – and a shortage of available aircraft on the market emerged – the carrier returned one of the 777s to service, refitting it with the 787 layout.
El Al has also completed a similar reconfiguration on two other 777s. It puts the total upgrade cost for the three aircraft at around $30 million.
The airline says it plans to begin refitting the second retired 777 this year, and return it to the fleet – taking its 777 operation to six aircraft.
El Al adds that, by the end of the first quarter of 2027, it aims to have all its 777 interiors reconfigured.
The airline is expecting to increase its fleet to 55 aircraft this year.
El Al is intending to introduce another 787, giving it 18 in total, and will also take its Boeing 737 fleet to 26 after agreeing to purchase two 737-800s from a “foreign company”.
It says it signed for these extra 737-800s in the third quarter of 2025. One of the jets was delivered earlier this year, and the second is expected at a later point in the first half.
These additions, along with the six 777s, will give the carrier 50 aircraft, and a further five will operate on its behalf under wet-lease arrangements.
