American Airlines Plans New York-Tel Aviv Flights Restart March 2026

American Airlines is set to resume its direct flights between New York JFK and Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport starting March 28, 2026, marking its return to the Israel market after a hiatus following the October 2023 Hamas attack. The airline will operate daily Boeing 777-200 flights, competing alongside United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, El Al, and Arkia on the route. This decision follows a personal appeal by Israel's Minister of Transportation, Miri Regev, and signals a strategic move by American to re-establish its presence in a competitive US-Israel travel market. There is also consideration for launching non-stop flights from Los Angeles to Tel Aviv in the medium term, which would be a significant expansion given American's previous limited presence on the West Coast to Israel. The return aligns with a broader recovery in Israel's aviation sector and growing competition, which has helped lower fares on many routes. American Airlines' use of flight number AA-18 for the new Tel Aviv service reflects a cultural nod to the Hebrew word for "life," highlighting a symbolic restart of operations to Israel.