North American carriers rush back to Tel Aviv as demand rebounds

Leading US and Canadian airlines are restoring nonstop service to Tel Aviv over the coming months, reopening direct access from key North American markets as travel demand to Israel recovers, the Israel Ministry of Tourism said.

The return of major carriers reverses the sweeping suspensions that saw airlines including British Airways, Lufthansa and others cancel Tel Aviv service during the regional conflict earlier in 2026, and points to renewed confidence in a market that lost most of its long-haul connectivity at the height of the crisis. Delta Air Lines resumes daily nonstop flights between New York JFK and Ben Gurion on September 6, while United Airlines begins twice-daily service from Newark on September 8.

“The return of nonstop service, together with new routes and connections, is a very positive sign for tourism and gives travellers greater choice and flexibility when planning a trip to Israel,” said Yoram Elgrabli, tourism commissioner for North America at the Israel Ministry of Tourism.

El Al Israel Airlines is expanding its North American network with a new San Francisco-Tel Aviv service from October 25, its first West Coast nonstop. Further capacity returns over the winter, with Delta resuming Atlanta-Tel Aviv on December 19 and United restoring Chicago O’Hare and Washington Dulles services. Air Canada plans to reinstate four-times-weekly Toronto flights from January 17, 2027, and American Airlines intends to return to the New York-Tel Aviv market from JFK in March 2027.

Israeli low-cost carrier Israir is also preparing to enter the US market, with plans to launch service from New York on October 19.

Schedule (North America-Tel Aviv restorations, source: Israel Ministry of Tourism)