As demand dips elsewhere, airlines rediscover Tel Aviv

Air Canada is joining a growing list of North American carriers heading back to Tel Aviv.

The airline announced it will restart service between Toronto and Israel on November 30, nearly two months ahead of its previously scheduled January 17 return, following its US counterparts Delta and United, which resumed Israeli routes.

Once relaunched, Air Canada will operate four weekly flights between Tel Aviv and Toronto aboard its Boeing 787 Dreamliners, offering business, premium economy and economy service. 

The route carries particular weight for Canadian travelers: it will be the only direct link between Israel and Canada, since El Al pulled out of the market back in 2022.

Via Toronto Pearson, passengers will also be able to connect onward to dozens of destinations across Canada, the US and Latin America.

Air Canada isn't alone in sensing an opening. Last week, Scandinavian carrier SAS announced it would resume flying between Tel Aviv and Copenhagen from October 26, with four weekly departures. Wizz Air, meanwhile, has already ramped up the frequency of its Israel flights in recent weeks.

The timing is hardly a coincidence. As global travel demand dips heading into winter, airlines are on the hunt for destinations that can fill seats, and Israel, despite lingering fears of renewed conflict in the region, increasingly fits that bill.

For carriers weighing where to redeploy aircraft during the slower season, a market still working to rebuild its international connections looks less like a risk and more like an opportunity.