Up (Airline)

Up functioned as El Al's low-cost product for five European destinations. The brand used five Boeing 737-800 aircraft and divided each aircraft between Tourist Plus and Tourist seating.[3] Its commercial model paired low base fares with charges for optional services, while a higher Smart fare bundled items such as baggage, seat selection, and airport check-in.[5] The brand's routes were ultimately returned to El Al under a unified European pricing system.[2]

El Al formally announced Up on November 26, 2013, presenting the new brand as a response to the greater competition associated with the Israel–EU Open Skies policy. CEO Elyezer Shkedy described the move as an act of renewal and adaptation to modern needs and said, "The new brand will allow customers to choose how they fly and what they pay for."[3]

The strategic logic behind a separate identity was explained by marketing and branding expert Eran Yasur. A distinct budget brand could protect El Al's high-end positioning while enabling the company to offer a basic product that competed on price. Up also described itself as being "from El Al," associating the new brand with El Al's perceived strengths in security, Israeli crews, and a home-like atmosphere.[4]

Up began scheduled service on March 30, 2014, flying from Tel Aviv to Berlin, Budapest, Kyiv, Larnaca, and Prague.[1] The fleet consisted of five Boeing 737-800 aircraft configured in a 180-seat, two-class layout: 36 Tourist Plus seats with 34-inch spacing and 144 Tourist seats with 30-inch spacing.[3] Up flights did not operate on Saturdays.[5]

Launch reports differed on the planned schedule. Globes reported 11 weekly flights to each destination, or 55 in total, whereas Ynet reported up to 11 per destination and approximately 50 flights per week overall.[3][5]

Up operated on a low-cost model in which passengers paid a base fare and could purchase additional services separately.[5] Two ticket tiers were available at launch: Basic and Smart. The nonrefundable Basic ticket charged fees for changes ($55), checked baggage (approximately $20 if booked in advance or $40 at the airport), standard seat selection ($10), and preferred seats ($50). Basic passengers could carry one bag weighing up to 6 kilograms without charge, and water was provided free in both cabin classes.[5]

The Smart ticket included checked baggage, seat selection, airport check-in, changes, refunds, and access to the King David Lounge at Ben Gurion Airport.[5] Optional extras included food, blankets, and audio headphones, and food was sold on flights lasting more than two hours.[1][5]

Introductory one-way fares were $69 to Prague and Budapest. Globes reported fares of $100 to Berlin, Kyiv, and Larnaca, while Ynet gave the price as $99.[3][5] Globes described Tourist Plus as including food, beverages, a blanket, and a pillow, while Tourist passengers paid separately for food, beverages, and blankets. Tourist Plus offered 34-inch seat spacing, compared with 30 inches in Tourist according to Globes; Ynet gave a broader Tourist range of 29–32 inches.[3][5]

Up's promotional identity used a playful, youthful tone. A 2014 safety video produced to promote the brand turned the standard preflight safety demonstration into a music video featuring disco bell-bottoms, comic dance moves, and a live five-piece band while crew members delivered the safety instructions.[6]

The broader marketing emphasized customer choice—the ability to pay only for services actually wanted. Its "from El Al" positioning was intended to preserve an association with the parent airline's perceived strengths in security, Israeli crews, and hospitality while distinguishing Up from El Al's premium product.[4]

In January 2018, El Al announced that it would abolish the Up brand and introduce a three-tier tourist-class ticket format across its European network.[7] El Al commercial vice-president Gonen Usishkin said Up had served its purpose over four years, but maintaining multiple brands created difficulties. He also cited demand from premium customers for additional services on the routes.[8]

Sales under the new format were scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2018 for travel during the fourth quarter. The pricing system was publicly launched in April, with its stated prices applying to tickets issued from October 15, 2018.[7][2] Lite allowed a carry-on and a meal but excluded checked baggage and advance seat selection; Classic added checked baggage and seat selection; Flex added a second carry-on, greater flexibility for changes and cancellations, and priority boarding.[7][2] The consolidation also restored business-class service on routes where Up had eliminated it.[2]

El Al marketing vice-president Miki Strassburger rejected assertions that Up had failed, calling it a successful initiative as it marked its fourth anniversary. He presented the consolidation as a way to retain differentiated, pay-for-what-you-use fares while returning the routes to El Al's main brand and restoring business class.[2]

The fare system that replaced Up retained central elements of the brand's commercial model. El Al continued offering differentiated prices based on baggage, seat selection, boarding priority, and ticket flexibility, allowing passengers to select the services they needed without requiring the airline to maintain a separate low-cost identity.[2] In that respect, Up's à-la-carte approach outlasted the brand itself.

A 2024 commentary argued that Up struggled to compete because its aircraft were piloted and serviced by El Al personnel, leaving labor costs above those of independent low-cost carriers. The author said the venture lost millions of dollars and described it as a "farce" and an "unmitigated disaster"; those labels were the commentator's evaluations rather than an official El Al assessment.[1]

Strassburger offered the contrary company view, rejecting the claim that Up had failed and describing it as successful. He said the consolidation addressed the tension between à-la-carte tourist fares and demand for restored business-class service.[2]