El Al's First 787 Dreamliner With Free Viasat Wi-Fi Launches Today
Israel's flag carrier, El Al, has come a very long way in recent months, thanks in no small part to the introduction of Boeing's 787-9 Dreamliner, which offers a product far superior to the airline's dated 747, 767 and 777 fleet.
TPG's Emily McNutt reviewed business class on the inaugural flight, and enjoyed the experience overall. Unfortunately there wasn't any Wi-Fi onboard, however, which can make it challenging to be productive on the nearly 9.5-hour flight from the East Coast to Tel Aviv (TLV).
That changed today, as confirmed by El Al's social media accounts:
El Al's Wi-Fi-equipped 787s will connect to the KA-SAT satellite on flights to/from Europe, and then it'll jump over to the new super-fast Viasat-2 on flights across the Atlantic, once that satellite comes online later this summer or in early fall. Passengers shouldn't notice much of a difference, though — both satellites should offer a similar experience, with high-speed browsing available throughout the flight.
A Viasat representative sent over pricing details from today's "inaugural" to Paris, which apparently currently has 128 devices connected to the internet and is holding up just fine. Basic browsing, including support for instant messaging, email and more is available free of charge on tablets and smartphones, just as it is with Viasat's service on JetBlue.
A mobile device plan with web browsing and short video streaming is available for $10 on the Tel Aviv-Paris route, while unrestricted laptop usage will run you $20 on the same route. Pricing details have not yet been released for the airline's flights to the US.
El Al currently operates its 787-9s on flights from Tel Aviv to New York (JFK) and Newark (EWR) in the US, in addition to Hong Kong (HKG) and Paris (CDG). Come October 28, the carrier will also fly Dreamliners to Los Angeles (LAX), with Miami (MIA) service launching the next day.
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app