Major Airlines Return to Israel, Launching New Routes to London, Madrid, and US

Translated & summarized from Panet by baba

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Arabic · 4 newsrooms covering

Major international airlines, including British Airways, Iberia, and United Airlines, are resuming and launching new flights to and from Israel starting October 25, 2026, after security-related suspensions. Routes include daily services to London and Madrid, and direct flights to San Francisco and Chicago. Air Haifa is also starting Tel Aviv-Eilat flights, expanding travel options amid improved security perceptions.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

British Airways and Iberia are resuming daily flights to Tel Aviv from London and Madrid, respectively.
United Airlines will restart direct flights to Chicago and Washington D.C. starting October 26, 2026.
El Al is relaunching its direct Tel Aviv to San Francisco route after a six-and-a-half-year pause.
Air Haifa begins new Tel Aviv to Eilat flights on Sunday using ATR 72-600 aircraft.
These airline resumptions follow prolonged suspensions due to security concerns in the region.
The increased flight activity coincides with the start of winter time in Israel.

Major Airlines Return to Israel, Launching New Routes to London, Madrid, and US — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Ben Gurion International Airport is seeing a significant increase in air traffic starting Sunday, October 25, 2026, as major international airlines resume operations in Israel after a prolonged suspension due to security concerns. British Airways is set to restart daily flights between Tel Aviv and London's Heathrow Airport, with the first flight from London arriving on Sunday and the first from Tel Aviv departing Monday morning. Spanish airline Iberia, through its low-cost arm Iberia Express, will also resume daily flights to Madrid, having previously halted services in August 2024 following regional security escalations. Both airlines are part of the International Airlines Group (IAG).

In parallel, El Al is preparing to reintroduce direct flights between Tel Aviv and San Francisco, California, on Sunday, ending a hiatus of approximately six and a half years that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Air Haifa will commence operations on the Tel Aviv-Eilat route starting Sunday, with two flights scheduled using ATR 72-600 aircraft, each lasting about an hour. These flights will depart from Terminal 1 at Ben Gurion Airport.

Further expanding travel options, United Airlines is scheduled to resume direct flights from Ben Gurion Airport to Chicago O'Hare on Monday, October 26, 2026. The airline also plans to restart its direct route to Washington Dulles Airport on October 28, operating three times weekly. These developments coincide with the start of winter time and signal an anticipated expansion of air travel choices to and from Israel after periods of flight suspensions linked to security situations.