Delta Airlines is planning to resume flights to and from Israel on April 1, and could potentially push that timeline up, according to Globes.

The airline had previously extended the suspension of its Israel operations until April 1, 2025 and confirmed Thursday that it will resume flights on that day. However, the recent return of major European carriers, including Lufthansa Group, Air France, British Airways, and easyJet, has increased speculation that U.S. airlines may follow suit and reinstate flights to Israel sooner.

While Delta has allowed customers to book flights from Tel Aviv to New York starting in April, the absence of an official announcement specifying a resumption date has caused hesitation among travelers. Typically, airlines formally confirm the return of operations to Ben Gurion Airport to reassure consumers.

Despite the lack of confirmation, the Israeli tourism industry is optimistic that Delta will resume its flights as scheduled in April—or possibly earlier. The optimism stems from both the wave of foreign carriers that have already resumed flights to Israel and political pressure in the United States.

Senator Ted Cruz recently voiced confidence that U.S. airlines will restart flights to Israel within 30 days. In an interview, Cruz argued that the suspension of flights is more politically motivated than safety-driven. He attributed some of the delays to labor unions, including the flight attendants’ union, which he claimed has taken anti-Israeli stances.

As the incoming chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, Cruz said he could take significant steps to expedite the restoration of flights, expressing confidence that the issue would be resolved by the end of February.

Delta Airlines, prior to the outbreak of the October 7, 2023, war, operated 17 weekly flights between Tel Aviv and three U.S. cities: New York, Atlanta, and Boston. After initially resuming New York-Tel Aviv flights in May 2024 for a brief three-month period, Delta suspended operations again in August following growing tensions in northern Israel. Since then, Delta has continually extended the suspension of its flights.

Delta is not alone in this disruption. United Airlines and American Airlines also suspended their Israel operations in October 2023. United briefly resumed flights in 2024 but later suspended them indefinitely, while American has not resumed its Israel flights at all. Unlike Delta, which has provided specific cancellation dates, United and American have left their suspensions open-ended. Before the war, the three U.S. airlines collectively operated 55 weekly flights between Tel Aviv and various U.S. destinations.

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