Israir is moving closer to a major expansion into the United States after receiving approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation to begin selling tickets for its planned nonstop service between Israel and New York. Ticket sales are expected to open next week for flights beginning Oct. 19, although the airline is still waiting for the final operational approval it needs from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The distinction is important: Israir now has permission to market and sell the flights, but cannot actually operate them until the FAA completes its approval process. The company says it is working closely with U.S. authorities and, if final clearance arrives sooner than expected, it intends to move up the launch rather than wait until October.

Israir is also offering passengers protection while that final approval remains outstanding. In a formal filing, the company said that if authorization is delayed and a purchased flight cannot operate, travelers will be offered either a full refund or a comparable alternative flight, including one operated by another airline.

The airline has spent months preparing for the transatlantic push, including adding Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft and expanding its pilot ranks. Israir is expected to offer economy, premium and business-class options on the New York route, although it has not yet announced starting fares.

Its arrival could come at an important moment for one of Israel’s most valuable international air corridors. El Al and Arkia are already operating nonstop flights between Israel and New York, while U.S. carriers are preparing to return after suspending service during the war with Iran. United says it plans to restart two daily Newark-Tel Aviv flights on Sept. 8, while Delta currently plans to resume its JFK-Tel Aviv service on Sept. 6.

That additional capacity could matter for travelers who have faced limited availability and elevated fares during repeated disruptions to foreign airline service. Israeli travel industry executives say another carrier competing on the route could put downward pressure on prices and improve availability, particularly during peak travel periods.

For Israir, the move is also a return to familiar territory. The airline previously operated New York service from 2004 until 2008 before withdrawing from the transatlantic route. Nearly two decades later, it is preparing to come back with a larger operation and a far more competitive Israel-U.S. aviation market waiting for it.

The remaining hurdle is now in Washington: final FAA approval. Once that arrives, Israir will be cleared to turn its long-planned American expansion from tickets on a booking screen into flights across the Atlantic.