What's happened
Israeli and international carriers are expanding routes and resuming services amid ongoing conflict-related volatility. Delta and United are returning to Ben Gurion, Israir is launching Tel Aviv-New York, and Israeli airlines are increasing capacity, while fares remain high in the near term. A direct Manila route is planned, and fares to the US show volatility through the fall travel season.
What's behind the headline?
Context and stakes
- The return of Delta and United to Tel Aviv signals a broader reopening of international air travel to and from Israel as regional tensions ease and security conditions are monitored.
- Israir’s Tel Aviv–New York route adds competition on a high-demand corridor, potentially easing prices over time, though fare data suggests a slow price normalization.
- The Philippines direct Manila route proposed by Arkia could deepen tourism and trade ties, and may act as a springboard for broader Asian connectivity.
What this means for readers
- Travelers should expect improved flight options in coming months, but prices are unlikely to drop quickly due to lingering demand and capacity adjustments.
- Business travellers may gain more predictable schedules, while tourism may rebound as routes stabilize.
Risks and questions
- How quickly will new routes reach steady pricing as competition returns and tourism resumes?
- Will geopolitical dynamics continue to weigh on schedules and fare volatility in the near term?
How we got here
The resurgence of long-haul routes follows a period of suspended services from multiple international carriers amid regional tensions and security concerns. Israeli carriers have been expanding both domestic and international routes to restore connectivity, with US service gradually resuming and new routes being explored in Asia.
Our analysis
The Times of Israel: Israir’s Tel Aviv–New York route and US carrier resumes; Delta and United are back on Ben Gurion. The Times of Israel also notes fare volatility and the holiday travel surge. Bloomberg: airport lounges expansion in 2027; American Airlines expansion announcements. Bloomberg: US-European and domestic route expansions. Independent: Lufthansa Group’s resumption of Dubai flights.
Go deeper
- Could fares fall significantly once more US and Israeli carriers resume full schedules?
- Which routes are most likely to offer cheaper options in the next quarter?
- How will new direct routes affect business travel between Israel and Asia?
More on these topics
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United States - Country in North America
The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
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Israel - Country in the Middle East
Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Tel Aviv - City in Israel
Tel Aviv, officially Tel Aviv-Yafo, and also known as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a population of 494,900, it is the economic and technologi
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Delta Air Lines - Airline
Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. It is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
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EL AL Israel Airlines Ltd. - Flag-carrier airline of Israel
El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (Hebrew: אל על נתיבי אוויר לישראל בע״מ; Arabic: شركة طيران العال الإسرائيلية المحدودة) trading as El Al (Hebrew: אל על, "Upwards", "To the Skies", or "Skywards", stylized as ELעלALאל; Arabic: إل-عال) is the flag carrier of the State of Israel. Since its inaugural flight from Geneva to Tel Aviv in September 1948, the airline has grown to serve almost 50 destinations, operating scheduled domestic and international services and cargo flights within Israel, and to Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, Africa, and the Far East, from its main base in Ben Gurion Airport. Although it has been the target of many attempted hijackings and terror attacks, there has only been one El Al flight hijacking in history, which ended without any loss of life. As Israel's national airline, El Al has played an important role in humanitarian rescue efforts, airlifting Jews from other countries to Israel, setting the world record for the most passengers on a commercial aircraft (single plane record of 1,088 passengers on a Boeing 747) by Operation Solomon when 14,500 Jewish refugees were transported from Ethiopia in 1991. In 2012, El Al operated an all-Boeing fleet of 42 aircraft...
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Arkia - Airline
Arkia, legally incorporated as Arkia Israeli Airlines Ltd, is an Israeli airline. Its head office is on the grounds of Sde Dov Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.
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John F. Kennedy International Airport - Airport in Queens, New York
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport in Queens, New York, USA, and one of the primary airports serving New York City.
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Hamas
Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militant organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
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Iran (Islamic Republic of Iran) - Country in the Middle East
Iran, also called Persia, and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and Azerbaijan, to the north by the Caspian Sea, to the northeast by Turkmenistan, to the east by Afghanistan a
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Wizz Air - Airline
Wizz Air, legally incorporated as Wizz Air Hungary Ltd. and stylised as W!ZZ Air, is a Hungarian ultra low-cost airline with its head office in Budapest.