US Airlines Resume Flights to Israel After Six-Month Hiatus

Delta Air Lines resumed its flights to Israel on Monday, September 7th, with the first aircraft landing at Ben Gurion Airport after a six-month suspension. The flight originated from New York the previous evening, and the return journey to New York was scheduled for the same day. Delta had halted its services to Israel in March, citing the ongoing conflict with Iran, and had initially indicated the pause would last until at least September.

United Airlines is set to follow suit, restarting its operations to Israel on Tuesday, September 8th. The airline plans to operate two daily flights between Newark and Tel Aviv. The return of these major American carriers is expected to intensify competition on routes between the United States and Israel, particularly with the approach of the autumn holiday season.

Adding to the competitive landscape, Israeli airline Israir has received approval from the Israel Civil Aviation Authority to fly to the U.S. and is preparing to apply to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration for permission to operate flights to New York. There had been concerns within Israel's aviation sector that the resumption of flights by American companies might be delayed due to recent Iranian attacks on Jordan and Persian Gulf countries, but Delta's return proceeded as planned.