Israir Launches New York Flights Ahead of Schedule

Israir Airlines has announced it will open ticket sales for its new route to New York starting Monday, September 16, 2024, after receiving all necessary approvals from Israeli and U.S. authorities. The inaugural flight from Tel Aviv to New York is scheduled for September 15, 2026, with the return flight from New York to Israel set for September 17, 2026. Both flights will operate out of John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Initially, Israir had planned to launch the route on October 19, 2024, but has now advanced the schedule by a month following the final regulatory approvals. The airline has rapidly prepared for this expansion, acquiring two Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft within three and a half months. The final payment of approximately $85 million for these aircraft, including service modifications and spare parts, was made on May 27, 2026. This operational and regulatory effort involved over 60 agreements and approvals from Israel's Civil Aviation Authority, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Israir plans a phased and controlled introduction of the A330s to ensure safety and operational efficiency. The airline will also support this expansion with its Super Fly credit card. In addition to the two self-operated A330s, Israir intends to lease two more wide-body aircraft and plans to operate a third self-owned wide-body aircraft by the second half of 2027.

Meanwhile, American carriers Delta and United are also set to resume flights to the U.S. next week, for the first time since Operation "Sh'at Ha'ar'ah" (Operation Iron Swords). Combined with El Al and Arkia, this will bring the total number of airlines offering flights to the U.S. to five.