Delta Air Lines resumed flights to Israel on Tuesday, becoming the latest major airline to restart services that had been suspended due to the Israel-Hamas war.

Delta’s decision comes two weeks after its competitor, United Airlines, reinstated flights to Tel Aviv, and just ahead of the busy Pesach travel season. The Atlanta-based airline will have daily flights to Tel Aviv from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, providing nearly 2,000 additional weekly seats on this high-demand route.

United Airlines, based in Chicago, currently operates two daily flights to Israel from its hub at Newark, maintaining its position as the U.S. carrier offering the most flights to Israel prior to the conflict.

Meanwhile, American Airlines, headquartered in Dallas, remains the only major U.S. legacy carrier yet to resume flights to Israel since suspending services following the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023, that sparked the ongoing conflict.

Additionally, Israel’s Arkia Airlines recently launched flights to New York three times a week at fixed pricing, while Israir has announced plans to resume its own service to New York, a route it previously operated last decade.

The re-entry of Delta and United effectively ends the temporary monopoly held by Israel’s national carrier, El Al, on the transatlantic route. This monopoly led to huge fare increases amid allegations of price gouging, though fares are expected to decrease following the Pesach travel period.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)