Israel is offering the Emirates airline the right to fly between Tel Aviv and New York, a revolutionary aviation move that would drastically affect the regional market, a spokesman for the Israeli Transport Minister said on Tuesday.
The proposal will be subject to U.S. regulatory approval if Emirates signs on to it.
It comes amid a protracted service suspension on the lucrative Tel Aviv-New York route by U.S. legacy carriers, which has sent airfares on Israel’s flag carrier El Al and the Israeli carrier Arkia—the only two airlines currently serving the route—soaring.
The idea, first reported by Israel’s Channel 12 News and confirmed to JNS, would allow Emirates to operate direct flights between Tel Aviv and New York as well as between Tel Aviv and Bangkok.
Emirates stopped flying to Israel after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, but its sister airline, Fly Dubai, as well as Abu Dhabi’s flag carrier Etihad, have consistently flown to Israel over the last two and a half years, even while American and European carriers stayed away.
An Emirates spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
Emirates currently operates flights known as 5th freedom flights, such as between Newark-Athens-Dubai or JFK-Milan-Dubai, where they can sell tickets on any of the legs as long as the flight originates in or travels onward to the airline’s home country. The Israeli offer, known as 7th freedom flights, would go even further, not requiring a connecting leg from Tel Aviv to Dubai.
Israeli travel consultants warmly welcomed the proposed move.
“If this move comes to fruition, it would be a significant moment for the Israeli aviation industry and air connection between Israel and the United States,” Shirley Cohen Orkaby, vice president of Israel’s Eshet Tours, told JNS. “Beyond the commercial significance, this is a step that illustrates how the Abraham Accords and regional normalization are beginning to reshape Israel’s action and connectivity map to the world.”
She added that the move, which is likely to be vehemently opposed by Israeli and U.S. carriers, was “especially necessary” at a time when demand for flights between Israel and the United States is very high, while the supply is still relatively limited especially in light of the fact that U.S. carriers have not resumed service to Israel.
“Since the beginning of the war, El Al has been one of the only stable and consistent options on routes to the United States, while American carriers changed plans and returned to operations partially and intermittently,” said Yoni Waksman, deputy chairman of Israel’s Ophir Tours. “Even when foreign companies resumed flights, a large portion of Israelis were still afraid to book due to the uncertainty surrounding cancellations and schedule changes. The entry of a strong and stable international player like Emirates could restore a sense of security to consumers, increase competition and re-expand flight options to the United States.”
El Al is currently offering about six daily flights to New York while Arkia has a daily flight six days a week.
“The reality today and for the short-term future is that with so little competition to the United States, just finding space on El Al or Arkia is both challenging and, when successful, outrageously expensive,” Mark Feldman, CEO of Jerusalem’s Ziontours, told JNS. “If this comes to fruition, it would prove to be a fantastic opportunity for the flying public.”
He voiced skepticism, however, that Israel can entice the Emirates to return to Tel Aviv to fly on the most competitive route in the country, but noted that even now with connecting flghts, “Fly Dubai/Emirates along with Etihad has proven to be like manna from heaven... and just shows how vital the Abraham Accords were to the tourism industry.”
The landmark Israeli proposal also offers the Emirates’ sister airline, Fly Dubai, the rights to open a subsidized base in Israel’s southern resort city of Eilat for flights to Europe.
The Hungarian low-cost Wizz Air was due to open a hub in the country, but the move was interrupted by the war with Iran. Israeli officials have recently voiced frustration with their repeatedly-delayed return to Tel Aviv and have frozen such talks.
Only about a dozen international carriers have resumed service to Tel Aviv since the war with Iran started on Feb. 28.
