Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the first commercial flydubai flight to Tel Aviv on Thursday as the budget carrier began its twice-daily service.
Flight FZ1163 hit the Israeli tarmac just after 11.30am local time.
It came after the move to normalise relations between Israel and the UAE in September.
Marking the occasion, Mr Netanyahu said there would be many more flights between the countries.
"But you can only be first once. And this is a pivotal moment because we're changing history," he said at the airport after the plane landed.
"It's not that we're marching forward, we're flying with breakneck speed into a new era."
Mr Netanyahu's spokesman, Ofir Gendelman, also welcomed those on board the flight.
"These are the fruits of peace. Dear Emirati tourists, welcome to Israel!" he tweeted.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, flydubai chief executive, was on the first flight. "Hopefully this will be the light that will shine and make the whole region stronger," he said. "We are a lucky generation in that we have been the generation that realised this potential and our leaders gave us this opportunity to build something very special.
"We worked very hard to create something extremely special that we are very happy to be able now to connect it with the state of Israel," he said.
The UAE in September signed a US-brokered deal to normalise relations with Israel, the first such agreement by an Arab state in the Gulf.
The two countries hope the move will bring rapid dividends with deals signed in agriculture, technology, education and telecoms. As Dubai enters its winter high season, it also hopes for an influx of tourists.
"The start of scheduled flights will contribute to economic development and create further opportunities for investment," Mr Al Ghaith said when the service was announced earlier this month.
The Dubai airline will fly the route twice daily, and Israeli airlines El Al and Israir are expected to launch their commercial services between the cities next month.
Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, has said it will begin flying to Tel Aviv in March.
The UAE is the third Arab country to normalise ties with Israel, following Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Since the historic agreement, Bahrain and Sudan followed suit.
The UAE and Israel have already signed treaties on visa-free travel – although that has yet to come into force – along with accords on investment protection, science and technology. The agreements end a long-standing Arab consensus that there should be no normalisation with Israel until it reaches a comprehensive peace deal with the Palestinians.
The UAE has stated that ties with Israel do not end its long-standing support for the Palestinians or their aspiration for an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The UAE hopes that by being involved in the discussion and changing the equation, movement can be made on the long-stalled peace talks.
Saudi Arabia has not formalised ties with Israel, saying that any deal would still be contingent on a lasting and just settlement for Palestinians. But the kingdom has given the green light to overflights from Israel to the Gulf, significantly cutting travel time and flight costs.
After the UAE deal was announced by US President Donald Trump in August, El Al flew a delegation of US and Israeli officials – led by Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner – to Abu Dhabi in the first direct service between the two countries.
That was followed by an official visit by a UAE delegation to Tel Aviv as well as a string of charter flights carrying business groups.
Abraham Accord - in pictures
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Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, speaks to Donald Trump, US president at the time, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office in September 2020. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation -
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, meets Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state at the time. Wam -
Sheikh Abdullah and Mr Pompeo in Washington. Wam -
Sheikh Abdullah visits Washington in September last year. Wam -
Sheikh Abdullah, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, US President Donald Trump, centre, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sign the Abraham Accord at the White House South Lawn. MOFAIC -
Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump at the White House. MOFAIC -
Sheikh Abdullah, Mr Al Zayani and Mr Netanyahu at the White House during the Abraham Accord signing ceremony. MOFAIC -
Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Mr Netanyahu, Mr Trump and Mr Al Zayani wave from the Truman Balcony at the White House. AFP -
Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Mr Al Zayani, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Trump sign the Abraham Accord. AFP -
Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Mr Al Zayani, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Trump after the signing ceremony. AFP -
Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Mr Al Zayani, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Trump after the signing ceremony. AFP -
Sheikh Abdullah speaks from the Truman Balcony at the White House during the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accord. AFP -
Sheikh Abdullah speaks as Mr Trump looks on before the signing of Abraham Accord on the South Lawn of the White House. AP -
Sheikh Abdullah looks on from the White House as Mr Trump speaks at the Abraham Accord signing ceremony, also attended by Mr Al Zayani and Mr Netanyahu. AP -
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani stand on the Blue Room Balcony during the signing ceremony. AP -
Sheikh Abdullah and Mr Al Zayani shortly before participating in the signing of the Abraham Accord. AFP -
Sheikh Abdullah, with Mr Netanyahu, left, and Mr Al Zayani at the signing of the Abraham Accord on the South Lawn of the White House. AFP -
US President Donald Trump speaks from the Truman Balcony at the White House during the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accord. AFP -
President Donald Trump walks to the Abraham Accord signing ceremony at the White House with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani. AP -
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrives at the White House to attend the Abraham Accord signing ceremony hosted by President Donald Trump. EPA -
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, meets US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House before the signing of Abraham Accord. AFP -
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, in the Oval Office. AFP -
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, meets US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House. AFP -
Sheikh Abdullah with Mr Trump in the Oval Office. AFP -
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, with by President Donald Trump at the White House. Mustafa Alrawi / The National -
The UAE delegation led by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Mustafa Alrawi / The National -
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, is welcomed to the White House by US President Donald Trump. EPA -
Sheikh Abdullah and Mr Trump outside the White House. AFP -
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed speaks to Mr Trump after arriving at the White House. Reuters -
White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner walks away following a television interview on the North Lawn at the White House in Washington. Reuters -
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcome the arrival of Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara on the North Lawn of the White House in Washington DC. AFP -
A delegation of senior UAE officials led by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, prepares to depart for the White House to sign the Abraham Accord. MOFAIC -
US President Donald Trump welcomes Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani. AFP -
Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani arrives at the White House in Washington DC. AFP -
US President Donald Trump welcomes Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani on the North Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC. AFP -
Preparations at the White House for the signing of the Abraham Accord. -
Preparations under way at the White House for the signing of the Abraham Accord. -
Preparations under way at the White House for the signing of the Abraham Accord. -
Preparation at the White House for the signing of the Abraham Accord. The National
