In October 2023, we saw most international airlines discontinue flights to Israel over safety concerns, following the Hamas terror attacks, and subsequent conflict. While many major airlines tried to resume service to Israel as soon as possible, that just wasn’t practical, given the constantly evolving security situation.
With there now being a ceasefire, it looks like we’re going to finally see US airlines resume service to Israel, as Delta has just announced its plans to resume flights.
In this post:
Delta will resume New York to Tel Aviv route soon
As of April 1, 2025, Delta plans to resume daily flights between New York (JFK) and Tel Aviv (TLV). Delta last operated service to Israel in July 2024. The route will operate with the following schedule:
DL234 New York to Tel Aviv departing 3:40PM arriving 9:35AM (+1 day)
DL235 Tel Aviv to New York departing 11:35AM arriving 5:00PM
The 5,677-mile flight is blocked at 10hr55min eastbound and 12hr25min westbound. Delta will use an Airbus A330-900neo for the service, featuring 281 seats, including 29 business class seats, 28 premium economy seats, 56 extra legroom economy seats, and 168 economy seats.
Delta claims that the decision to resume Israel flights “follows a comprehensive security review, conducted in close coordination with government and private-sector partners,” and “the airline continues to prioritize the safety of its customers and crews and has implemented additional precautions for operations to and from Tel Aviv.”
I have to imagine that United won’t be very far behind Delta in resuming service to Israel, or might even resume flights around the same time. Historically, United has been by far the biggest US carrier in Israel. I can’t imagine United will hugely shift capacity to Israel immediately, since presumably most planes have been allocated to other routes for the summer season.
Delta & EL AL have an intriguing partnership
With Delta resuming flights to Israel, I can’t help but point out an interesting development we’ve seen in the past couple of years. In June 2023, Delta and EL AL announced a new strategic partnership. Of course the timing of that wasn’t great, since it was supposed to launch in late 2023, around the same time that Delta pulled out of Israel the first time.
As we see more airlines returning to Israel, I’m very curious to see what this partnership looks like in practice, and how Delta evolves its Israel route network in light of this.
Historically, Delta has been heavily focused on joint venture partners and airlines that it invests in, so I wonder if we could see more ties between the two airlines. The partnership between Delta and EL AL has come in handy in recent months, given that EL AL has been the only airline consistently flying between the two countries.
It’s possible that we don’t actually see a whole lot more, and that Delta has simply decided that this is the best way to compete with United in Israel.
Bottom line
Delta will resume daily flights between New York and Tel Aviv as of April 2025. Delta is the first US airline to announce plans to return to Israel following the announcement of the ceasefire, though I have to imagine that United will resume Israel flights soon as well. Given how high airfare has been between the two countries, this should provide some relief.
What do you make of Delta resuming flights to Israel?
War Criminal Express being launched by Delta.
Who goes to israel?
Genuinely like asking.
Jews, Christians, Muslims, and the gays at pride
Actually, it's beginning in April of 2025.
One of the esteemed members of this forum said that Israel requires that carriers that cancel service cover accommodation and find transportation if they cancel flights.
It is entirely possible that DL's relationship with LY allows DL to have a preferential place in obtaining seats on LY flights should the security situation deteriorates, requiring US airlines to suspend service.
If so, DL could have a structural advantage over its US competitors in serving Israel
Stick to facts. Not your dreams for delta
Every US airline has a relationship with El Al to place pax on LY planes
Julie: yes they all have interline agreements but DL has a closer partnership than just that. It may indeed be an advantage if DL gets a below-market rate on rebookings.
thanks, Watson.
and the issue really is about access to LY inventory.
If US carriers have to pull service down, as has happened several times, the issue is who gets first dibs on LY inventory.
I strongly suspect that DL has obtained preferential access on inventory in addition to special prorate fares that are better than standard interline fares.
Again.
Facts. Not hunches or the usual tim dream absent facts
Every US3 airline can displace passengers on to LY. There’s nothing special for delta in that regard
They could have a special rate. But there’s no special inventory for delta or AF for that matter as is the topic, but feel free to post a link to anything supporting your view, tim
Tim, any data to back this up?
In fact he is correct since Air France KLM and Delta have a partnership with LY including codeshares and respective SPAs ( special prorate agreements). Subject to space, if AF cancel a flight CDG TLV they invol rebook in the LY operated flight.
Info on their partnership is widely available online.
bUt DeLtA lAuNcHeD bEfOrE uNiTeD.....
It's great to see Delta coming back I'm looking forward to see UA
Cue the anti-Semitism!
You mean anti-Zionism. Fixed it for you.
Aaron, please define anti-Zionism. Because it doesn't mean "criticizing Israel". It means you don't think Israel should exist at all. And then I'd like you to explain your not-antisemitic plan for dissolving Israel.
No, it means criticizing Israel as well as establishing a viable Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza...no settlers at all.
Also, you don't seem to have any issues with the definition of Zionism meaning the erasure of Palestine, Palestinians, etc, in just about every way, from existing in the Holy Land.
You have redefined Zionism to fit your narrative so you can argue against a straw man. Or more likely, you're the victim of a disinformation campaign designed to convince ordinary citizens to go around demonizing "Zionists".
In fact, the vast majority of Zionists support 2SS. Including almost every Western head of state for the past 50 years.
Free Palestine
Free caged chickens.
From Hamas.
Free Palestine from Israel as well.
You would be murdered within moments of arriving in Gaza.
by the homicidal maniacs called idf
The cease fire will end before April so I do not see this date sticking at all.
You write:
Delta claims that the decision to resume Israel lights “follows a comprehensive
I think you mean flights.
There are a lot of minor grammar and spelling issues throughout. You might want to do one more review.
Shut up, Jason
Does Delta have bases to support more Tel Aviv flying?
United flies to Tel Aviv from EWR, SFO, IAD and ORD. There is huge demand from Newark so I expect an announcement soon. Lots of premium yields with Tel Aviv I imagine
United has a much larger presence in China, India and Tel Aviv. I’m sure they can’t wait to restart those routes again
prior to the war in Gaza, delta was flying from JFK, ATL and BOS.
Interesting I wonder how they did vs United bases.