Delta Air Lines is set to reestablish its presence in Israel by resuming its service to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) on June 7, 2024. This move comes after Delta, along with its major U.S. competitors American and United, had suspended flights to Tel Aviv in the fall due to the conflict initiated by Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7.
Following a nearly six-month hiatus, United Airlines led the return to Tel Aviv in early March, operating one of its four routes to Israel. Delta now follows suit, reinstating its daily route from New York's John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) to TLV with an Airbus A330-900neo. This aircraft features 29 Delta One Suites, 28 Premium Select recliners, 56 Comfort+ economy seats, and 168 standard economy seats.
Delta's decision to delay the original resumption date from May 1 to June 7 aligns with the peak summer tourist season, indicating an optimistic outlook on demand. The airline has conducted an extensive security risk assessment to ensure the safety of its operations and will continue to monitor the situation in Israel closely.
While Delta has expanded its Israel network in recent years with flights from Atlanta and Boston, these routes are currently not available, and no resumption date has been published. However, Delta has strengthened its presence in Israel through a codeshare agreement with El Al, which serves several U.S. markets.
United Airlines has already resumed one of its two daily frequencies to Tel Aviv from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) as of March 2. The airline plans to restart its second daily Newark-to-Tel Aviv flight on May 3, followed by service from Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., in late October.
American Airlines, with its sole remaining Israel route from New York to Tel Aviv, plans to resume flights in the fall, with a scheduled return on October 27. American emphasizes that the safety and security of its customers and team members are its highest priorities.
The resumption of flights to Tel Aviv by Delta and United marks a significant step towards normalizing air travel to Israel, offering passengers more options for travel to the region.
