Lufthansa clears for takeoff to Tel Aviv

Lufthansa Group announced it will resume flights to Tel Aviv starting June 23, marking a major shift in the international air travel landscape after months of heightened regional tension.

The German airline giant — which includes Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and EuroWings — is the first major European aviation group to re-establish regular routes to Israel following the suspension of services in early May. 

Operations will restart progressively, with each airline in the group tailoring its timeline for full resumption.

The decision comes after what Lufthansa described as a “comprehensive evaluation” of the current security environment, conducted in close coordination with local and international authorities.

Lufthansa Group suspended all flights to Israel on May 4, after a missile launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen struck the grounds of Ben Gurion International Airport. The incident raised alarms across the global airline industry, prompting numerous carriers to pull back from the region.

Industry Bellwether Moves First

Lufthansa's return could serve as a bellwether for the rest of the industry. While some carriers remain cautious — British Airways has suspended flights to Israel through July 31, and Air Canada until at least September 8 — others are slowly edging back. Ryanair is expected to resume flights on June 11, easyJet on July 1.

Meanwhile, Wizz Air, Air France, KLM, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, Azerbaijan Airlines, and Aegean have already resumed service to Tel Aviv, indicating growing confidence in Israel's aviation and security infrastructure.

Lufthansa’s return not only restores critical connectivity between Europe and Israel but also sends a strong signal to the international business and tourism sectors: Israel’s skies are open again.