U.S. carriers, led by Delta and United, are resuming service to Israel next month, following summer suspensions driven by regional conflicts.
The move, which comes just ahead of the Jewish High Holiday season, typically a busy travel time, follows the gradual resumption of service to Tel Aviv by most major European airlines and highlights the resilience of the Israeli tourism sector.
Delta Air Lines is resuming service to Tel Aviv on Sept. 6 with a daily flight from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
United Airlines will restart service to Tel Aviv two days after its arch rival, and will offer two daily flights from its hub at Newark.
Service from additional U.S. cities to Israel will resume later this year.
United’s flights from Chicago and Washington D.C. to Israel will restart in October, while Delta’s flights from Atlanta will begin in December.
In contrast to Delta and United, American Airlines which has stayed away from Israel since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack has pushed back its resumption of service to Tel Aviv until next spring.
By the fall, five airlines are scheduled to fly direct from the US to Israel, including El Al, Arkia, Israir, United and Delta.
The return of two of the three US legacy carriers next month is good news for travelers, as fares on the lucrative transatlantic route reached record highs this summer due to high demand and limited availability.
Travel consultants cautioned, however, that it will take some time for prices to go down, with airfares remaining stubbornly high during the fall season.
“The planned resumption after months of absence by both Delta and United bodes well for the Israeli consumer,” Mark Feldman, CEO of Jerusalem’s Ziontours, told JNS on Wednesday. “It is a pity that both airlines have decided to monopolize airfares by matching El Al’s historically sky-high airfares, but for now that’s the reality.”
