A comeback story isn't always a happy one. It's exactly what's happening with Scandinavian airlines and their relationship with Tel Aviv, which is on-again off-again. However, after nearly a decade's absence, SAS has been relaunched to Israel service late last year and again withdrawn this past month. The complete history, what changed and what this means if you were planning your next trip to the Holy Land on this route.

A Decade-Long Absence

It's helpful to take a step back to 2016. It was at that time that SAS completely pulled out of Tel Aviv, citing both political turmoil in the region and lack of financial performance. Scandinavian travelers traveling to Israel were forced to go through other capitals of Europe for nine years or use other competing carriers.

Much has happened at SAS between that time and now. The airline abandoned Star Alliance and joined SkyTeam, re-instated business class on its shorter flights and established a codeshare agreement with El Al, which seemed even more logical when El Al began preparations to become a member of SkyTeam. Rather, the pieces were starting to fall into place for SAS to give Tel Aviv a second chance.

The re-launch: Good news at long last

That shot was fired in mid-2025, when SAS announced its intention of reintroducing year-round nonstop flights from Copenhagen to Tel Aviv, which are scheduled to begin on October 26, 2025. This was very good news for all who are monitoring all the opportunities for SkyTeam mileage runners, including those who are pursuing that seven-figure SAS EuroBonus milestone. The more direct flights between Europe and Israel are always better; Copenhagen proved to be a very convenient hub from the United States to Tel Aviv. The planned program was as follows:

• Copenhagen to Tel Aviv: leaving Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:35am and arriving in Tel Aviv at 5pm
• Tel Aviv to Copenhagen: It leaves on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 6pm and arrives in Copenhagen at 9.50pm.

They timed those pretty well for those who were connecting from the U.S. but the return leg resulted in an overnight layover in Copenhagen, instead of a same day turnaround. Nevertheless, it was a timely solution for a route which had been dark for nine years, and travelers now had a new one to reach Israel.

Service Actually Launched Then Everything Changed

Not only did SAS announce the route, they delivered on it. Copenhagen-Tel Aviv flights were scheduled to take off from the end of October 2025 until the end of February 2026. The comeback was very real for a few months.

The conflict between Israel and Iran then took a turn for the worse, and with the closure of the airspace and the situation becoming more and more secure, SAS closed the route, which all but a few other airlines that were still permitted to fly to the region would do. That was not an uncommon moment; there were lots of carriers that shut down Israel routes in that period. The unusual thing about the situation for SAS was that it was intended to begin operations again on 25 October 2026 when the weather settled. The Twist: SAS Silently Repeats the Circuit. SAS Stealths the Course Once More.

The resumption did not take place. SAS's absence from the Tel Aviv flights was spotted by eagle-eyed travelers just before the scheduled relaunch date, and at the time, there was no public announcement for their absence. When asked specifically for comment, the SAS confirmed that the route was not being delayed, but shelved indefinitely.

In its own words, the airline explained that after re-evaluating both operational and commercial conditions, it determined that the timing wasn't right to bring back the Copenhagen Tel Aviv route. However, SAS did not leave out any nuance: Tel Aviv is still a marketplace that SAS can't afford to ignore and will continue to observe; it's possible it will look at the path again in the future. However, at this time there is no date for the relaunch.

There are several reasons why it matters to travelers.

If you had been mentally booking a trip to Israel later this year, then you should tweak that idea. Here's where things stand:

• There is no current or definite timetable for the return of the route and SAS has not stated when it will return, if at all.
• For those who depend on SkyTeam partners or the El Al codeshare for Israel connections, they'll have to consider other routing options in the near future.
• SAS has indicated that the route isn't finished for good, but it is simply temporarily on hold, so it can always be watched in the future for schedule announcements.

The Bigger Picture

It's not really a story about SAS losing interest in Israel, but a warning about the sensitivity of route planning in Israel in this day and age. In recent years, airlines have been forced to constantly review their flights to Israel as the situation evolves, and SAS's Tel Aviv flight has been suspended and re-approved in the same period of time. A lot of turbulence for one route, before the plane even lifts off the ground.

But for now, those who wish to go by air to Israel must wait for SAS. But the airline hasn't totally ruled it out, and judging by the work it has done to get ready for the SkyTeam move, the El Al partnership and the actual months of flying there it seems like there is a good argument Tel Aviv could return to the SAS network when the situation on the ground looks more stable. “Eventually” is not a date, and for those who are thinking of travelling to Israel in the near future will have to book elsewhere for a connection.

The Bottom Line

SAS's return to Tel Aviv after nine years was a bright spot for travelers connecting from Copenhagen until renewed regional instability caused the airline to halt the route, and a scheduled relaunch this past October, turned out to be cancelled. For now, according to SAS, the Copenhagen Tel Aviv route is paralyzed, but the door is open for the future. Those planning travel to Israel in the coming months should try to schedule around other trips until we get a better indication from SAS as to when or if they will be attempting again.