For the primary time because the begin of the struggle, American Airways will resume flights to and from Israel. The US provider introduced that it’ll renew flights to Tel Aviv in March 2026, thus becoming a member of rival airways United and Delta, which have already resumed flights. The US media has even reported that the airline has begun hiring Hebrew talking cabin crew in preparation for the resumption of flights. American Airways will start with Tel Aviv – New York flights, and the provider will later introduce Tel Aviv – Philadelphia flights.
American Airways is taken into account essentially the most cautious of the three US airways working on the Israel route, and was the final to announce the resumption of flights to Tel Aviv. That is why its return is seen as such a serious transfer within the Israeli market. Its determination to renew providers symbolizes the business’s return to regular and is a vote of confidence within the security and stability of air operations at Ben Gurion Airport.
“Globes” has investigated whether or not the transfer will lastly result in a fall in airfares, and what it means for Israeli airways – will they offer up their routes to the US when competitors returns?
The state of affairs earlier than the struggle
In the course of the struggle, the demand for flights between Israel and the US was considerably greater than the provision. The US is a vital vacationer and enterprise vacation spot for Israelis and residential to by far the most important Jewish group within the Diaspora. Nevertheless, American airways operated solely partially, and throughout the downturn, the routes have been operated nearly completely by Israeli corporations, with El Al being essentially the most distinguished.
Earlier than the struggle, United Airways operated 28 weekly flights between Israel and the US – of which 14 have been to New York, seven to San Francisco, 4 to Chicago and three to Washington DC. Delta Airways operated a every day flight to New York, a every day flight to Atlanta and three weekly flights to Boston. American Airways operated ten weekly flights – seven to New York and three to Miami. El Al operated 42 weekly flights to 6 completely different locations within the US. In whole, 97 weekly flights have been flown by 4 carriers to 9 locations within the US.
Extra flights extra competitors
The excessive demand for flights led Arkia – an Israeli firm that doesn’t even personal appropriate long-haul plane – to lease plane and function the route, and Israir to think about launching the route. Arkia is anticipated to function three weekly flights to the US in 2026, after diverting a few of its long-haul flights from locations in East Asia, primarily Thailand. On the peak of exercise on the Tel Aviv – New York route, Arkia operated 5 weekly flights.
RELATED ARTICLES
In summer season 2026, El Al will proceed to be essentially the most dominant airline on routes from Israel to the US. Though it has not but formally revealed its summer season flight schedule, estimates are that it’ll function a minimum of 52 weekly flights – of which about 30 shall be to New York and the remainder to eight different locations.
United Airways will add 25 weekly flights to its flight schedule, together with flights to New York, Washington and Chicago. Delta Airways will function seven weekly flights, whereas American Airways is anticipated to function seven weekly flights to New York.
In whole, subsequent summer season will see about 94 weekly flights between Israel and the US, simply three weekly flights in need of the variety of weekly Israel-Us flights earlier than the struggle.
The brand new fares
Though subsequent Passover ,the variety of Israel-US flights shall be nearly the identical as earlier than the struggle, the fares will nonetheless be far above ticket costs in 2023, in accordance with information from Ophir Excursions.
For instance, an American Airways round-trip fare within the spring of 2026 is at the moment $1,799 in contrast with $803 three years in the past. United’s fares have elevated from $1,030 to $2,208, and Delta’s from $845 to $1,607. Likewise, El Al’s round-trip fares have risen from $1,010 to $1,721.
Ophir Excursions deputy chairman Yoni Waksman says, “The massive gaps in airfares between Passover 2023 and Passover 2026 stem from a mixture of a pointy enhance in demand versus restricted provide. 2023 was characterised by the need of airways to return passengers to planes after the Covid pandemic, and due to this fact costs have been comparatively low. Additionally, since 2023, gasoline costs, and safety and working prices have elevated, and on the identical time, demand for flights throughout the Passover and summer season trip interval has elevated considerably. Even with the return of overseas corporations to Israel, competitors is failing to decrease fares – quite the opposite, flights are filling up shortly. My suggestion is to rush up and e-book your flight as early as potential, to keep away from exorbitant costs.”
Most direct flights from Israel to the US are at the moment from Tel Aviv to New York, with different locations solely accessible on El Al and United. Passengers who select to fly with Delta, for instance, discover that the airline has not but resumed its different flight routes to Israel. Consequently, this route absorbs the demand of passengers to different US locations, who’re at the moment pressured to make a stopover in New York, and in accordance with demand, the fare will increase.
Different exterior components additionally have an effect on ticket costs together with a worldwide scarcity of plane and spare components, which will increase the working prices for airways. The truth is, airfares are rising worldwide, with carriers serving transatlantic routes being notably affected. However, Israeli passengers have additionally turn into accustomed to paying excessive fare for flights, and airways could reap the benefits of the state of affairs.
The excellent news
Along with the American Airways announcement, main airways have returned to Israel over the previous week, together with British Airways, Iberia Categorical and Eurowings, finishing the Lufthansa Group’s return to full operations in Israel. Almost 60 overseas airways already function in Israel, increasing the choices to fly to all areas of the world.
The European airways which have resumed Israel operations may assist vacationers to the US resulting from handy connection flights by means of their predominant hubs. These planning to fly on Passover, can scale back airfares on this manner. For instance, the “Secret Flights” web site lists round-trip Israel-US connection flights with Iberia and British Airways at costs beginning at $987. The web site additionally exhibits that round-trip flights with LOT might be discovered beginning at $906 (connection in Warsaw), with KLM beginning at $1,045 (connection in Amsterdam), and with Iberia beginning at $1,145 (connection in Madrid).
Printed by Globes, Israel enterprise information – en.globes.co.il – on October 28, 2025.
© Copyright of Globes Writer Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2025.
