Ben Gurion airport sees surge as U.S. carriers return

American Airlines announced Monday that it will resume direct flights to Israel in March 2026, nearly two and a half years after suspending its New York (JFK) to Tel Aviv route following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that sparked a prolonged conflict in Gaza.

With this move, American Airlines will join U.S. competitors Delta and United, both of which have already resumed flights to Ben Gurion International Airport. The return of foreign carriers marks a significant shift in Israel's air travel landscape, which had been dominated by local airlines since the outbreak of the war.

After the attack in 2023, numerous international carriers halted services to Israel due to safety concerns, particularly over intermittent missile threats from Iran and Yemen. 

Throughout much of the conflict, Israeli flag carrier El Al, along with smaller airlines Arkia and Israir, maintained international routes, resulting in high demand and soaring airfares.

Now, with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in effect, international carriers are returning. British Airways, SAS, Iberia, and Swiss are all set to resume flights to Tel Aviv this week, while American’s return will make it the fifth airline offering nonstop service between the U.S. and Israel.

United Airlines, which already operates daily flights from Newark, plans to further expand its Israel operations with new routes from Washington, D.C. (starting November 2) and Chicago (starting November 1).

Passenger traffic at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport increased by 25% in the first nine months of 2025, reaching 13.6 million passengers, according to the Israel Airports Authority.

Meanwhile, El Al’s market share has fallen to 32.5%, down from 44% a year earlier — a sign of increasing competition and normalization of international air travel to Israel.