Israir announced Wednesday that it has received approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation to begin selling tickets for flights to the United States, marking a major step toward launching the Israeli carrier’s long-planned New York route.

The airline said ticket sales are expected to begin next week.

The approval does not yet authorize Israir to actually operate the flights. The airline is still awaiting final approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, which is continuing its review of the planned service.

Israir said that as a precaution, its initial ticket sales will be limited to flights departing beginning October 19, 2027.

However, if the FAA grants operational approval earlier, the airline said it intends to move up the launch of its New York service and begin offering tickets for earlier dates.

The planned route would give Israeli travelers another option for nonstop service between Israel and the New York area, increasing competition on one of the busiest international routes serving Ben Gurion Airport.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)