By 5 Towns Central Staff

Transatlantic travel options between New York and Israel are set for a major expansion as Arkia Airlines introduces new flight frequencies and aircraft upgrades to its premier long-haul route. Responding to high consumer demand for summer travel, the airline will increase its schedule between Tel Aviv and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport throughout August and September.

The service expansion features the addition of new weekly flights on Mondays and Wednesdays. To support the immediate passenger volume, Arkia Airlines will deploy a modern Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner operated through an arrangement with Italian carrier Neos. This wide-body aircraft will provide 345 seats distributed across economy and premium cabins, alongside full onboard internet connectivity for passengers.

Further fleet adjustments will take place on September 11, when Arkia Airlines introduces an Airbus A330-300 operated by Hi Fly to replace one of the aircraft currently serving the New York corridor. The configuration of the incoming Airbus will offer a more robust premium experience, featuring 46 dedicated business class seats and 203 standard economy spaces. To ensure consistency in service standards, the airline has committed to staffing every single flight on the route with an Israeli flight crew.

The expanded flight schedules build upon a strategic commercial foundation laid earlier this year. Through an ongoing interline agreement established with JetBlue in January, arriving Arkia Airlines passengers landing at JFK can seamlessly connect to domestic flights across the United States, as well as international routes extending into Latin America and the Caribbean. Airline officials emphasize that the added capacities and elevated cabin features are specifically tailored to enhance overall comfort on long-haul flights.