The Emirati airline’s first commercial flight landed at Ben Gurion Airport on Thursday; FlyDubai is planning two daily flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv; This initial flight was greeted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the airport.

As several positive economic, educational, and relational changes are taking place between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Emirati airline FlyDubai made its first commercial journey to Israel on Thursday. And beginning on Thursday, the airline company will fulfill two flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv daily. As an added bonus, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greeted the plane upon its arrival.

In addition to what is now underway with FlyDubai, Etihad Airways also intends to implement routine flights beginning in March of next year. Furthermore, the Israeli airline companies El Al and Israir said they plan to begin flights between the two countries next month.

All of this is, of course, the aftermath of the normalization of diplomatic ties between the two countries just months ago. And with the devastating economic effects of COVID-19, tourism is a mutual interest to say the least.