After months in which nonstop travel between New York and Israel was dominated by just two Israeli carriers, the picture is changing dramatically. Within days, five airlines are expected to be competing for passengers on one of Israel’s busiest and most important international routes.

El Al and Arkia, which have been operating nonstop service while major U.S. carriers were absent, are being joined by Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, with Israir preparing to enter the New York market on Sept. 16. The sudden expansion comes at an especially significant moment, with demand surging ahead of the Yomim Tovim.

Delta Air Lines officially restarted its daily nonstop JFK–Tel Aviv service this week. The first flight departed New York on Sunday, Sept. 6, arriving at Ben Gurion Airport the following morning, with the first return flight from Israel operating Monday. Delta is flying the route aboard an Airbus A330-900neo with Delta One, Premium Select, Comfort and Main Cabin seating.

“The resumption of service follows a thorough review of the evolving security environment in the region,” Delta said in announcing its return. “The safety and security of our customers and employees remain our top priority, and Delta will continue to monitor the situation closely in coordination with aviation authorities and government agencies.”

Delta’s arrival at Ben Gurion represented more than the restoration of another flight. It marked the return of a major American carrier to the Israel market following the suspensions prompted by the U.S.-Israel war with Iran earlier this year.

United Airlines is following immediately behind. United scheduled the resumption of its Newark–Tel Aviv operation for Sept. 8, with two daily flights aboard Boeing 787 Dreamliners, substantially increasing the number of seats available between the New York metropolitan area and Israel.

The return of the two American carriers is particularly important because American Airlines remains out of the Israel market, with its Tel Aviv service suspended through March 27, 2027. That leaves Delta and United as the two major U.S. airlines currently returning to the nonstop New York–Israel market.

But perhaps the most intriguing development is coming from Israir, which is preparing to enter a market historically dominated by much larger airlines.

Israir has secured the final regulatory approvals necessary to begin service between Ben Gurion Airport and JFK on Sept. 16, according to Aviation Week. The launch will mark the carrier’s return to the United States for the first time since 2009.

Israir had originally sought authority to operate six round trips per week using Airbus A330-200 aircraft. Its current booking schedule, however, calls for three weekly flights initially, increasing to four per week in mid-October. The company has already taken delivery of two A330-200s as the beginning of a broader plan to develop a six-aircraft widebody fleet.

That means travelers between New York and Israel will have five nonstop carriers to choose from: El Al, Arkia, Delta, United and Israir.

For travelers who endured the limited options and extraordinary fares that followed repeated suspensions by foreign airlines, the change could be significant. More carriers mean substantially more seats entering the market at a time when demand for travel to Israel is especially intense.

El Al remains the largest operator on the route, with multiple flights between JFK or Newark and Ben Gurion. Arkia, meanwhile, has established itself as a genuine alternative in the New York market, operating nonstop JFK flights using widebody aircraft. Current schedules show Arkia deploying Airbus A330-200s as well as Boeing 787-9 aircraft on some services.

Arkia’s presence has been an important part of the changing landscape. During the summer, when foreign airlines remained largely absent, the Israeli carrier provided additional capacity on a route where passengers had comparatively few nonstop alternatives.

Arkia is continuing to market its New York service as an alternative for passengers seeking nonstop travel to Israel, an indication that what began as an expansion during an unusually constrained period in Israeli aviation is becoming a more established part of the market.

The transformation is striking. For a prolonged period, passengers seeking nonstop New York–Tel Aviv flights effectively depended on El Al and Arkia. Now, in the space of little more than a week, Delta and United are restoring substantial capacity and Israir is preparing to make its debut.

United’s return alone adds two daily flights, while Delta is adding another daily service. Israir’s initial three weekly flights will further increase capacity.

That additional supply could provide some relief during the extremely busy Tishrei travel period. The Israel Tourism Intelligence Hub has described the return of U.S. nonstop service as a material improvement in seat supply ahead of the Yomim Tovim, with particularly heavy travel periods expected during September and October.

It does not necessarily mean cheap tickets are about to become plentiful. September fares have remained elevated, particularly around the peak holiday dates. Israel Hayom reported last month that Delta round-trip fares for September were running at roughly $2,680, with significantly lower prices appearing later in October.

Still, the significance for travelers is broader than the price of any individual ticket. Additional carriers provide more departure times, more available seats and more alternatives when one airline is sold out or prohibitively expensive.

It also represents a major reversal from the situation that followed the outbreak of the war with Iran in February, when international carriers suspended Israel service and the number of nonstop options contracted sharply. Delta and United both halted their Israel operations during that period.

The competition could become even more intense if other American airlines eventually return. For now, however, American Airlines remains on the sidelines, leaving the five-carrier lineup to El Al, Arkia, Delta, United and Israir.

For passengers, the most important development is simple: the New York–Tel Aviv bottleneck is finally beginning to break.

After a long stretch in which travelers often had little choice but to take whatever nonstop seat they could find, five airlines are preparing to fight for the same passengers — and they are doing it just as one of the busiest travel seasons of the Jewish calendar gets underway.

{Matzav.com}