Sundor (Sun d’Or International Airlines) was established in 1977 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of EL AL Israel Airlines and presently serves as a brand mainly for lower cost nonstop flights between Israel and leisure destinations in the Mediterranean area and Europe. This article describes how, over the years, the role and branding of Sundor have evolved.

EL AL Charter Services (the original name of Sundor)

In the mid-1970s the Israeli government, desiring to increase tourism to Israel, liberalized its policy that had been restricting the number of charter flights to Israel by foreign companies. This led to a sharp increase in charter flights between Europe and Israel and growing competition for EL AL.

Responding to this development, on 1 October 1977 EL AL, which at the time was entirely owned by the State of Israel, established a new wholly-owned subsidiary, ‘EL AL Charter Services’ (the original name of Sundor), to operate charter flights from and to Israel and better compete with the foreign-based charter airlines that had entered the Israeli market.

EL AL Charter Services (‘Charter Services’) received its own operating license on 18 January 1978, and in Summer 1978 it started charter flights to a few European destinations, utilizing a BAC 1-11 twin-jet leased from Arkia Israeli Airlines (then a 50% subsidiary of EL AL engaged in flights within Israel). Working with several tour operators abroad, charters to more destinations followed, and from April to December 1979 Charter Services also utilized one of EL AL’s original Boeing 707-400s, 4X-ATC. The number of flights by Charter Services increased from 73 in EL AL’s 1978/79 fiscal year to 289 in its 1979/80 year. Aircraft employed by Charter Services apparently retained the livery (color scheme and name titles) of the airline that provided them.

Name Changed to Sun d’Or International Airlines, 1981

Anticipating a further expansion of charter operations, EL AL decided to strengthen the separate identity of its charter subsidiary and distinguish more clearly between EL AL’s scheduled flights and charter operations. In September 1981 EL AL Charter Services changed its name to ‘Sun d’Or International Airlines’ (also known as Sundor) . ‘Sun d’Or’ combines the English word ‘sun’ with the French ‘d’Or’ to convey ‘Golden Sun’ and identify the subsidiary airline with promotional travel to vacation and leisure destinations. According to Sundor’s graphic artist at the time, Ruth Rahat, the Sun d’Or name was chosen by EL AL’s then Chairman of the Board, Avraham ‘Buma’ Shavit.

In August 1981 EL AL leased to its charter subsidiary another of its 707 aircraft, 4X-ATR, and after the subsidiary’s name change to Sundor the following month, the aircraft received ‘Sun d’Or’ titles and a different logo on the tail.

On 1 May 1982 EL AL leased another of its 707s, 4X-ATY, to Sundor. Revised Sundor titles and a new tail logo, designed by Israeli graphic designer Ruth Rahat, were applied to this aircraft as seen in the following image.

Inauguration of Flights to the Former Soviet Union, 1991-1992

Sundor inaugurated the flights of the EL AL group to the former Soviet Union. As part of Israel’s Operation Exodus to bring Jews from the Soviet Union to Israel, Sundor commenced flights to Moscow on 24 January 1991, in the midst of the Gulf War with Iraq. Then, following the breakup of the Soviet Union on 26 December 1991, Sundor started flights to St. Petersburg, Russia, Kiev and Odessa in Ukraine, and Minsk, Belarus, bringing thousands of immigrants to Israel. Meanwhile, Sundor continued its main activity of operating charter flights to West Europe destinations. Later in the 1990s, EL AL took over the routes to former Soviet Union countries, making them regularly scheduled destinations.

Cooperation then Competition with Israeli Domestic Airlines

From 1 May 1985 to 1 April 2000 Sundor and Arkia Israeli Airlines (which became privatized and separated from EL AL in March 1980) engaged in a joint venture to cooperate on international charter services. During that period each airline had exclusive rights to certain destinations, while other destinations were served by both airlines. Also, Sundor would sometimes utilize Arkia crew members

Until Spring 1999 Sundor and Arkia were the only Israeli airlines operating charter flights, so there was no Israeli competition for their joint venture activities. However, in April 1999 two new Israeli airlines entered the charter market — Israir and Aeroel. At the same time Arkia bought shares in two major Israeli tour operators. As a result, Sundor and Arkia decided in Summer 1999 to end their joint venture effective 1 April 2000. Also in Summer 1999 Sundor entered into a joint venture agreement with the new airline Israir, effective 1 November 1999, but that lasted only until 1 April 2000. Sundor then became independent of both Arkia and Israir, allowing it to become more flexible and respond faster to developments, but at the same time facing future competition from Arkia and Israir.

New Sundor Branding in 2000

Upon Sundor ceasing to have joint venture relationships with Arkia in 1999 and Israir in early 2000, Sundor sought a new distinctive image and branding. In 2001 Sundor acquired its own IATA airline code for flights, 2U (also 7L in global distribution systems such as Amadeus), distinguishing its fights from EL AL’s that carried the code ‘LY’. In addition, by that time EL AL was providing to Sundor more modern leased Boeing 757-200 aircraft, replacing the retired 707s, and in 2000 Sundor had artist Ruth Rahat design new titles and a revised tail logo for its 757s, as seen below.

Expansion During 2000 – 2010

In the first decade of the 2000s Sundor inaugurated service to several new holiday destinations, including its first long-haul vacation flight — to Phuket, Thailand. During this decade Sundor started periodic service to several new destinations in Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Portugal and the Seychelles. One of Sundor’s roles was to test out the desirability of new routes, and If a particular destination became very popular, EL AL itself would start regular scheduled service on the route. In 2003 Sundor passengers started to earn points in EL AL’s ‘Matmid’ frequent flyer program for their Sundor flights.

In a significant development, Sundor with government approval started in 2009 to operate regularly scheduled flights to specified destinations (in contrast to its usual charter flights). These initially included lower cost flights to Bratislava, Slovakia; Zagreb, Croatia; and Dusseldorf and Frankfurt, Germany.

During this decade Sundor operated aircraft leased or subleased from EL AL. At various times these mainly included a 737-800 (4X-EKI) and five 757-200s (4X-EBM, EBO, EBS, EBT and EBY). (Also, from April 2001 to March 2002, Sundor leased a 757-300, 4X-BAW, from Arkia). Moreover, Sundor operated with flight crews of EL AL and occasionally crews of other airlines, and utilized EL AL for ground operations, catering and maintenance. This reliance on EL AL and others, however, led to a major change in Sundor’s role starting in 2011, described below.

2011 – Sundor Becomes a Brand of EL AL

In March 2011 the Israel Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) suspended Sundor’s airline operating license, effective 1 April 2011, on the grounds that it did not own any aircraft and utilized flight crews of EL AL and other airlines rather than its own crews, thereby not complying with Israeli and international standards for meriting its own operating license. In effect, the CAA determined that Sundor flights are actually EL AL flights.

As a result, EL AL converted Sundor to a brand for EL AL’s charter flights and lower cost scheduled flights, with those flights being marketed as Sundor fights. All Sundor flights operate with EL AL aircraft or with planes leased from others, and with crews provided by EL AL or others, although the aircraft typically feature a Sundor livery, and crew members have Sundor insignia.

2015 – Mascot Logo, ‘Sunny’

In 2015 Sundor introduced a new mascot logo, a yellow chick called ‘Sunny’, placed on the tail and near the front door of aircraft it operated as well as on its promotional materials. The Sunny mascot lasted until 2024 when the kivery and branding of Sundor changed again. Sundor called Sunny “our smiling, happy face that will welcome you on the way to your dream vacation”.

Sundor’s 2024 Rebranding

In April 2024 Sundor changed its branding to feature an iconic stylized ‘wave’ accompanied by light and the colors yellow and light blue that suggest the sea, sun and sky, reinforcing Sundor’s connection with leisure and vacation destinations. The wave also integrates with EL AL’s ‘window’ language rebranding of a year prior, expressing a feeling of freedom, fun and renewal. In addition to appearing in a new livery for Sundor’s aircraft, introduced in 2024, the new colors and the wave are featured on most of Sundor’s promotional materials.

Sundor Today

Sundor, acting as a subsidiary of EL AL, mainly sells and markets lower cost, all tourist class, nonstop flights to leisure and vacation destinations in the Mediterranean area and Europe, in three areas:

(1) Regular scheduled flights, seasonal or year round, generally up to four hours flight time, and sold through the Sundor website, distributors, and travel agents.

(2) Charter flights, sold in whole or in part to tour wholesalers who market them; and

(3) Special flights, being flights requested by companies and organizations, such as sports or religious groups, company vacation flights, etc.

As of August 2026 Sundor flights utilize Boeing 737-800 aircraft, four of which are EL AL aircraft painted in Sundor’s new livery introduced in 2024, namely, 4X-EKM, EKN, EKR and EKV. In addition, because of the expansion of destinations served under the Sundor brand, and EL AL’s fleet already being utilized at full capacity, EL AL has been temporarily utilizing under the Sundor brand Boeing 737-800 aircraft wet-leased (that is, aircraft with flight crew, maintenance and insurance) for a short term from KlasJet, a Lithuanian-based airline. Aircraft recently wet-leased from KlasJet include LY-LOC, LY-MGM, LY-OEX, LY-PEX, LY-PMI and LY-TFS. These aircraft are typically painted all white but with the new Sundor title on the fuselage.

Regular scheduled destinations served by Sundor as of August 2026 include: Tirana, Albania; Saltzburg, Austria; Larnaca and Paphos, Cyprus; Lyon, France; Batumi and Tbilisi, Georgia; Thessaloniki, Greece; Naples, Italy; Chisinau, Moldova; Podgorica and Tivat, Montenegro; Krakow and Warsaw, Poland; and Belgrade, Serbia.

The Sundor brand has been particulary successful in recent years. Its new branding introduced in 2024 and success in marketing have been contributing significantly to the profits of EL AL.

Last updated 24 August 2026.

Copyright © 2026, Marvin G. Goldman