Israeli airline Israir announced Tuesday that it will launch flights to New York by October.
The much-anticipated move comes as service on the highly lucrative transatlantic route remains limited, with only Israeli carriers currently flying nonstop to and from the United States after all three U.S. legacy carriers froze their flights due to the war with Iran.
While American carriers, led by Delta and United, are scheduled to resume service to Tel Aviv next month, airfares remain stubbornly high throughout the fall due to heavy postwar demand.
Israel’s second-largest carrier said it plans to start its New York flights by Oct. 19 pending final FAA approval, with tickets set to go on sale from next week. It will bring forward the launch date if the final authorization comes in sooner.
Israir did not cite a starting price for the route on Tuesday, but plans on offering economy, premium and business fares.
It is expected to run a daily flight to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport this fall, joining competing service by El Al, Arkia United and Delta.
Travel consultants said that the entry of an additional Israeli carrier on the top international route out of Tel Aviv was “significant news” for consumers and is expected to bring down airfares.
“We anticipate that as the supply of direct flights to New York grows, we will see a positive impact on pricing and availability, particularly during periods of high demand,” Yoni Waxman, deputy chairman of Israel’s Ophir Tours, told JNS. “The fact that it is an Israeli carrier offers an additional advantage, especially given how much importance Israeli travelers place on flight continuity and certainty.”
“We have been waiting for quite some time for an additional Israeli airline to compete directly with El Al in flying nonstop to New York,” said Mark Feldman, CEO of Jerusalem’s Ziontours. “If Israir wants to gain market share, they will need to aggressively market - and not match - El Al prices, and then the Israeli public will jump at this option.”
Israir operated transatlantic flights to New York from 2004 to 2008, when rising fuel prices forced it to suspend the route.
