United Airlines is gearing up to resume its flights to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) starting January 9, 2024, as per the latest schedule filings by Cirium, an aviation analytics company, Simple Flying reported Sunday. United had suspended flights to Israel on October 9, following the conflict that erupted in the Gaza Strip after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7.

United has scheduled its return with twice-daily service between Newark Liberty (EWR) and Tel Aviv, and tickets for both UA84 and UA90 flights for Tuesday, January 9, are already on sale. Flight UA84 is set to depart EWR at 3:55 PM and arrive at TLV the next day at 9:20 AM, while flight UA90 will leave EWR at 11:00 PM and land in TLV at 4:20 PM the following day. Both flights will be operated using Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners.

Initially, United will offer 14 weekly flights between Newark and Tel Aviv. Subsequently, Cirium data reveals that the airline plans to resume flights from Chicago (ORD) and San Francisco (SFO) on February 15, and Washington Dulles (IAD) on February 16. Chicago flights will operate four times a week, Washington flights thrice weekly, and daily flights from San Francisco. Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners will serve the Chicago and Washington routes, while Boeing 777-300ERs will operate on the San Francisco route. By the end of February, United aims to offer 28 weekly flights between Tel Aviv and the United States.

Despite the current schedule filings indicating an imminent resumption of operations to Israel, United maintains its service remains suspended until conditions permit a safe resumption. A spokesperson from United, speaking to Simple Flying, cautioned that while the outlook is positive, the flights could still be subject to cancellation, advising potential passengers to be aware of the risks involved.

United’s attempted return to Tel Aviv has seen setbacks in the past. Last month, a public relations agency erroneously announced a November resumption of flights, which United later corrected. However, the airline has been keen on maintaining its presence in the Israel-United States sector, recently extending frequent flyer elite status for travelers affected by the suspension of flights to Tel Aviv.

The planned resumption by United follows the announcement by Star Alliance partner Lufthansa Group that its airlines, including Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian Airlines, will resume flights to Israel on January 8, 2024. Additionally, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, part of the ‘big three’ US airlines, are expected to return to Israel by the end of March 2024. Airlines like Ryanair, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Iberia, and Vueling have announced varying resumption dates extending into early 2024.

Since the October 7 attack, Israeli carriers El Al, Arkia, and Israir have continued operations, with the Israeli government supporting the carriers with insurance backing.

In recent weeks, several foreign airlines, including flyDubai, Etihad Airways, Uzbekistan Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Red Wings, and Azimuth Airline, have resumed services to Tel Aviv. However, as of December 15, weekly flights to Tel Aviv have dropped by 66.4% compared to September 2023.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)