Delta and United Resume Nonstop Tel Aviv Flights — American Airlines Stays Grounded Until 2027

Delta Air Lines and United Airlines both restarted nonstop US-Tel Aviv service this week, ending nearly a year of suspensions tied to regional security concerns. Delta's JFK-Tel Aviv route resumed September 6, and United's Newark-Tel Aviv route follows on September 8, both timed ahead of the Jewish High Holidays. American Airlines, by contrast, has pushed its own Tel Aviv return back to January 2027.

What changed this week

Carriers: Delta (JFK-TLV) and United (EWR-TLV) · Restart dates: September 6 and 8, 2026

Delta's inaugural return flight departed New York on September 6, arriving in Tel Aviv the next morning, with the reverse leg landing back in New York the same day. United follows two days later with twice-daily EWR-TLV service. Both airlines cited an improved security picture in explaining the timing, according to Airways Magazine's coverage of the Delta resumption and Travel And Tour World's reporting on both carriers' plans.

Delta's return: what flyers get

Aircraft: Airbus A330-900neo · Cabins: Delta One, Premium Select, Comfort+, Main

Delta is deploying its A330-900neo on the JFK-TLV route, giving the relaunch a full four-cabin configuration rather than a stripped-down interim aircraft. That's a signal the airline expects the route to carry meaningful premium demand from the outset, not just a token comeback flight — a detail confirmed by Upgraded Points' breakdown of the relaunch.

United's return: two daily flights and a future SFO route

Aircraft: Boeing 787 Dreamliner · Frequency: Twice daily from Newark; SFO-TLV planned for March 2027

United is restarting with two daily 787 flights between Newark and Ben Gurion Airport starting September 8, and has already announced a third-weekly San Francisco-Tel Aviv route to launch March 28, 2027 — a sign the airline is betting on sustained demand recovery rather than a cautious one-off restart, per the same Travel And Tour World report.

Why American Airlines is staying away until 2027

Suspended since: October 2023 · Confirmed return: Not before January 2027

American formally extended its JFK-Tel Aviv suspension through January 2027 in a decision confirmed May 17, 2026, making it the last major US carrier still absent from the market. The airline had floated a March 2026 restart before repeatedly pushing the date back over regional risk, according to AeroXplorer's report on the extended suspension and Paddle Your Own Kanoo's timeline of American's Israel absence, which by January 2027 will stretch past three full years.

A year of on-again, off-again suspensions

Trigger: Israel-Iran conflict and Houthi missile activity · Peak disruption: January-June 2026

The current wave of cancellations traces back through repeated flare-ups: Lufthansa Group and KLM suspended flights in January 2026, and by March both United and Delta had extended cancellations through mid-2026 as the Israel-Iran conflict continued, per The Jerusalem Post's account of the suspensions. Earlier still, a Houthi ballistic missile strike near Ben Gurion's terminal access road in May 2025 had already pushed multiple carriers to pause service, as Ynetnews reported at the time.

The regulatory backdrop: EASA eases its risk rating

Change: Conflict-zone bulletin replaced with a medium-risk note · Date: July 2026

A key enabler for this month's relaunches came from Europe's aviation safety regulator, which downgraded Israel from a high-risk conflict-zone classification to a medium-level advisory in July 2026 after its prior bulletin expired, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency's coverage of the EASA decision. That reclassification gave airline risk committees, including US carriers who track EASA guidance closely, cover to firm up restart dates.

European carriers: a mixed picture

Resumed: Lufthansa Group (67 weekly flights), Air France, KLM, Wizz Air · Still suspended: British Airways (through October 24)

Lufthansa Group has been the most aggressive about returning, scaling up to 67 weekly flights across its airlines by September after a phased restart that began in June, per Lufthansa's own operational update. Air France restored daily Paris-Tel Aviv service on Boeing 777-300ERs starting July 3, according to Travel And Tour World's coverage of the Air France restart, while KLM resumed its Amsterdam-Tel Aviv route on August 25. British Airways has taken the opposite approach, repeatedly pushing its return back and now suspended through October 24, according to Ynetnews' report on the European carrier split. That split matters for connecting itineraries: travelers routing through Paris or Amsterdam now have one-stop options that didn't exist a month ago, while London connections still require a workaround via a third city.

Do US and Canadian travelers need a visa for Israel?

Entry requirement: Visa-exempt for tourism up to 90 days · Passport validity: Must be valid for the duration of stay

American and Canadian passport holders can enter Israel visa-free for tourism stays of up to 90 days, so the return of nonstop flights removes the main practical obstacle rather than any paperwork hurdle. Travelers should still register with their home country's travel advisory system given how quickly the security picture has shifted over the past year, and should expect secondary screening at Ben Gurion Airport that can add time to connections.

What it means for fares and seat availability

Timing: Restarts land just before Rosh Hashanah · Effect: Tighter capacity, elevated fares into late September

Both Delta and United timed their relaunches deliberately to catch High Holiday travel, when diaspora demand to Israel spikes regardless of route history, as Travel Tomorrow noted in its coverage of the restart timing. With American still absent and only two US carriers back on the route, expect fares to stay elevated compared with pre-2023 levels until capacity broadens further.

Booking advice if you're flying to Israel this fall

Recommendation: Book refundable or flexible fares · Check: Airline advisories before final payment

Given how many times these routes have been announced, delayed, and re-announced over the past year, travelers should favor flexible fare classes and confirm operational status close to departure rather than assuming a schedule shown today will hold through winter. Travel insurance with a "cancel for security concerns" or "cancel for any reason" rider is worth the extra premium on this route specifically, since standard trip-cancellation policies often exclude government advisories tied to regional conflict. The US Department of Transportation's air consumer page tracks passenger-rights updates that apply if a Tel Aviv flight is cancelled or delayed again, including when airlines owe rebooking or refunds.

The bigger September 2026 route picture

Also this month: United's new Newark-Seoul nonstop, Korean Air's free inflight Wi-Fi

The Tel Aviv restarts land in an otherwise route-heavy September: United also just launched the only US-carrier nonstop between the New York area and Seoul, per Upgraded Points' report on the Newark-Seoul launch, while Korean Air became the latest carrier offering unlimited free Starlink Wi-Fi, according to Upgraded Points' weekly airline news roundup. Airlines are clearly using early fall to relaunch and expand long-haul networks after a turbulent 2025-2026 stretch. If you're weighing a long layover on any of these new long-haul routes, it's worth knowing which hub airports actually reward you for a longer connection — we cover the best of those in our roundup of free airline stopover programs for 2026.

People also ask

Is it safe to fly to Tel Aviv right now?
US and European regulators have eased their risk classifications as of mid-2026, and Delta, United, Lufthansa, and Wizz Air have all resumed scheduled service. Conditions can still change quickly, so check your airline's advisories and your government's travel guidance before departure.

Why hasn't American Airlines returned to Tel Aviv?
American extended its suspension through January 2027, citing ongoing security risk assessments. It had previously targeted a March 2026 restart before repeatedly delaying, making it the last major US carrier still absent from the route.

When did Delta resume Tel Aviv flights?
Delta's daily JFK-Tel Aviv service resumed September 6, 2026, using an Airbus A330-900neo with Delta One, Premium Select, Comfort+, and Main cabins.

When did United resume Tel Aviv flights?
United restarted twice-daily Newark-Tel Aviv flights on September 8, 2026, using Boeing 787 Dreamliners, and plans to add a San Francisco-Tel Aviv route in March 2027.

Are fares to Tel Aviv more expensive right now?
With only two US carriers currently flying the route and demand elevated ahead of the High Holidays, fares are running higher than pre-suspension levels. Prices should ease somewhat as capacity broadens through fall and winter.

Is British Airways flying to Tel Aviv?
No. British Airways has extended its Israel suspension through October 24, 2026, taking a more cautious approach than Lufthansa Group, which has scaled back up to 67 weekly flights.

Facts checked against current sources as of September 7, 2026. Airline schedules and route status can change quickly — confirm directly with the carrier before booking or traveling.