American Airlines is scheduled to revive direct flights between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion International Airport next winter as part of a partnership with JetBlue Airways, announced the air carriers on Thursday.
The new nonstop flight is part of the first long-haul international flights that American has launched from New York in more than four years.
American Airlines will also have nonstop service between New York JFK and Athens International Airport and New York JFK and Rio de Janeiro/Galeão-Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport, in addition to continuing to serve popular long-haul destinations like London’s Heathrow Airport and Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport.
“Pairing JetBlue’s domestic network with American’s international route map creates a new competitive choice in the Northeast, where customers are longing for an alternative to the dominant network carriers,” said JetBlue president and chief operating officer Joanna Geraghty. “This partnership with American is the next step in our plan to accelerate our coronavirus recovery, get our crewmembers and our aircraft flying again, and fuel JetBlue’s growth into the future.”
“This is an incredible opportunity for both of our airlines,” said American Airlines president Robert Isom. “American has a strong history in the Northeast, and we’re proud to partner with JetBlue as the latest chapter in that long history. Together, we can offer customers an industry-leading product in New York and Boston with more flights and more seats to more cities.”
The announcements take place in the backdrop of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has seen air travel plummet in the past few months.
As such, American Airlines’ new Dallas-Tel Aviv route, slated to begin in September 2020, will now be scheduled for September 2021.
American Airlines previously operated flights between Philadelphia and Tel Aviv, but the route ended in 2015.
