The state of Israel’s aviation sector remains uncertain following the recent conflicts and missile attacks by the Houthis. Foreign airlines have shown hesitation in returning to Israel, even as the threat of attacks has decreased.

Last week, United Airlines announced that it will resume flights to Israel on July 21, a positive sign for the country. This decision was a change from their original plan to resume flights in August. On the other hand, Delta Airlines has not announced a return date and is expected to resume operations on September 1, as planned. However, there is a possibility that they may return earlier. American Airlines, which previously operated flights to Israel, has not yet announced any plans to resume flights and currently does not have any available flights to Israel on their website for the next year.

In April 2025, the last month in which both Delta and United operated flights to Israel, 1. 8% of passengers at Ben Gurion airport flew with United and 0. 78% flew with Delta. These two airlines together carried 50,000 passengers to the US in April. The return of these US airlines is critical for Israeli passengers, as the route to New York has been dominated by El Al and Arkia. However, even with the addition of these flights, the volume of direct flights to the US is still far below pre-war levels.

Last summer, there were 97 weekly flights between Israel and the US operated by four airlines – United, Delta, American, and El Al – to nine different destinations across the US. United alone operated 28 weekly flights, while El Al led with 42 flights to six destinations. Currently, El Al is the most dominant company on the route with 52 weekly flights, mostly to New York, followed by Arkia and United with flights only to New York. In September, if Delta returns, they are unlikely to resume flights to destinations other than New York.

As a result, there will be 26 fewer weekly flights in August, the peak period for demand, compared to pre-war levels. Additionally, passengers who need to travel to destinations other than New York will have to go through New York or take a direct flight with El Al.

The absence of American airlines has led to a significant increase in fares on direct routes to New York. Last year, a round-trip ticket on United and Delta could be purchased for less than $1,400. However, this year, El Al is offering the lowest fare at $1,611, which is still higher than the fares of their competitors last year. Furthermore, Arkia’s fares have soared to over $2,200. The return of United has led to the opening of new tickets for sale, which were previously not available for months. These tickets are being sold at introductory prices rather than the higher “last-minute” prices.

The presence of American companies is crucial in lowering ticket prices, as the current high prices of Israeli airlines reflect the high demand for flights to the US