The number of direct flights between Tel Aviv and New York is poised to expand significantly in the coming weeks as US carriers return after over half a year away, with a third Israeli airline waiting in the wings to begin serving the popular route within months.

But while the return of Delta Air Lines and United Airlines and the introduction of Israir will add much-needed seats and flight options, travelers who have been grappling with high airfares are unlikely to see much relief on that front until November at earliest, experts say.

“Prices will not become competitive again until incoming tourism is back to pre-October 7, 2023, war numbers,” said Mark Feldman, CEO of the Ziontours Jerusalem travel agency.

For the last six months, and during extended periods since the October 2023 Hamas massacre plunged the region into war, nonstop service between Ben Gurion Airport and the US has been exclusive to Israel’s flagship carrier El Al and its smaller local competitor Arkia, which began offering flights to New York in early 2025.

On Sunday, Delta will return to Israel, operating a daily nonstop flight between New York’s JFK airport and Ben Gurion. Two days later, United is scheduled to resume flights between Tel Aviv and Newark Airport in New Jersey. Israir, which has not announced when it will begin the route, is expected to start selling tickets only next month.

The resumption of service by the two US carriers will come just in time for the Jewish New Year and Sukkot holiday, a popular time for Israelis to travel, followed by national elections in late October, which may bring in expats seeking to cast ballots. According to Eshet Tours CEO Gil Hahn, prices will likely only begin to drop once demand starts falling off significantly.

“We expect to see the impact on fares starting in November, following the elections and the end of the peak summer and holiday travel seasons,” said Hahn. “The combination of the seasonal decline in demand and the significant increase in capacity could create opportunities and fares on routes to the US that we haven’t seen in quite some time.”

Even then, though, most expect high volatility in fares to persist until geopolitical tensions allow tourist numbers to stabilize, creating a balance between sufficient demand and competitive supply.

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© The Times of Israel