Israir Seeks U.S. Permit to Resume Tel Aviv-New York Flights
Israir Airlines has submitted an application to the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) seeking a foreign air carrier permit to restart scheduled flights between Tel Aviv and New York. This filing marks the carrier’s return to the U.S. market after a 16-year hiatus, with plans to launch six weekly nonstop roundtrips starting July 1 from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport to the New York region. The flights are slated to be operated with Airbus A330-200 aircraft.
The move comes amid an ongoing capacity shortfall on routes between Israel and the U.S., where available seats are approximately 42% lower than they were two years ago—prior to the outbreak of conflict between Israel and Hamas in October 2023. Israir’s application is part of broader efforts by Israeli airlines to address these gaps and boost connectivity between the two regions following recent security challenges.
In addition to scheduled passenger services, Israir also plans to operate charter flights under the U.S.-Israel Air Transport Agreement. The airline had previously served the U.S. market until 2009, ceasing operations at that time due to unfavorable market conditions. With the renewed application, Israir aims to capture a share of the growing demand for international travel between Israel and the U.S., a demand that has surged in the wake of increased regional tensions and subsequent restrictions on international services.
Israir’s request to the DOT aligns with a larger trend among Israeli carriers to enhance connectivity with the United States. For instance, Arkia Airlines recently launched nonstop service between Tel Aviv and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). El Al Israel Airlines, meanwhile, has increased its operations to offer 41 roundtrip flights per week across six routes, up from 34 weekly flights earlier in 2023.
U.S. carriers are also adjusting their services in response to evolving market conditions. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have outlined plans to resume flights to Israel following the initial phase of the ceasefire announced on January 19. According to data from OAG Schedules Analyser, United is expected to be the first to restart operations, with daily Newark-Tel Aviv flights resuming on March 15 using Boeing 787-10 aircraft. Delta is set to reinstate daily JFK-Tel Aviv flights from April 1, operating with A330-900neo aircraft, while American Airlines has yet to announce a return date. Prior to the conflict, American Airlines operated flights from JFK and Miami, Delta served routes from Atlanta, Boston, and JFK, and United connected Tel Aviv with Newark, Chicago O’Hare, San Francisco, and Washington Dulles.
The DOT is currently accepting responses to Israir’s application through March 25. With these strategic moves, Israir Airlines is positioning itself to meet the increased demand for transatlantic travel and contribute to the broader efforts to restore robust connectivity between Israel and the United States.
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