Delta Suspends Tel Aviv-New York Flights—Service Paused Until 2025

As a travel writer who has booked trips and written reviews of airlines for more than seven years, I was sad to hear that Delta will no longer offer nonstop flights between Tel Aviv and New York until 2025. When I plan my own trips, I like to use easy, nonstop lines, so this news will definitely change how I travel in the future. Read below about “Delta Suspends Tel Aviv-New York Flights—Service Paused Until 2025”.

This article will give you an overview of Delta’s statement, how it affects travel between the US and Israel from my point of view as a seasoned traveler, and what other options travelers can think about for the next few years.

Delta’s Announcement

Delta Air Lines said on January 18, 2023, that they would no longer offer their famous nonstop flights between New York’s JFK Airport and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport. In 2015, Delta’s first flight went between the US and Israel on this route. It quickly became one of their most popular foreign routes.

Delta says that they had to make this tough choice because of ongoing demand problems and aircraft supply delays that made it impossible for them to keep this route profitable. From May 23, 2023, until at least 2025, there will be no more service between Tel Aviv and New York.

My Perspective as an Experienced Travel Writer

I’m very upset about Delta’s decision because I’ve taken this route many times and told many people to do the same over the years. This nonstop trip was very helpful, especially for business travelers and people who want to cut down on connection times.

From what I’ve seen, Delta offered a great service on this trip. Their cutting-edge Airbus A350 planes had lie-flat Delta One rooms with great service and extras. The economy comfort and main cabin choices in coach were both comfortable and came with free meals and entertainment.

This road was also great for making the most of the time travelers had on the ground, whether they were going to see family, see sights, or do business. It was really great to be able to fly straight from Tel Aviv to New York in just over 11 hours. I will really miss that.

How This Impacts US to Israel Travel

For eight years, Delta’s route from Tel Aviv to New York has been a popular way for people to travel between Israel and the US without stopping. Although El Al and United will still offer direct flights on this route, Delta’s decision to stop service makes it much harder to find and book trips.

Based on past statistics, Delta’s flights from Tel Aviv to New York carried more than 200,000 people each year. Without this extra space, the flights that are still available will probably sell out faster, and prices for trips might go up.

The absence of a big US airline on this route also changes how easy and enjoyable it is to travel in general. Many frequent flyers between the US and Israel, especially those who were loyal to Delta’s SkyMiles program, chose to use their service.

Alternative Options for US-Israel Travelers

Even though Delta’s decision to stop flying nonstop between Tel Aviv and New York is a big problem, travelers still have some other choices to think about:

• There will still be direct flights between Tel Aviv and Newark/New York City by El Al and United. With these carriers, travelers can still get from one city to the other without having to make a transfer.
• You can connect in Europe through Delta’s hubs in Paris or Amsterdam, but the whole trip will take longer.
• JetBlue now has a nonstop choice between Tel Aviv and JFK for people going to New York. Their flight, on the other hand, only runs a few days a week.
• You could take a European airline like Lufthansa, British Airways, or Air France to get to Tel Aviv and then book a separate trip on an Israeli airline to get to Eilat, Jerusalem, or other places.
• Delta will still run its holiday flight from Tel Aviv to Atlanta which doesn’t stop. So people can use Atlanta as a hub to get to other US towns.
• Delta has direct flights from Boston to Tel Aviv, which is a great choice for people in New England.

As a seasoned traveler, I always tell people to be flexible and look at other cities in case something happens, like Delta canceling the flight from Tel Aviv to New York. It’s not always the easiest thing to do, but looking at all of your choices can help you find the best flights.

My Hopes for the Future

A lot of tourists are disappointed by this news, but I hope Delta can start flying nonstop between Tel Aviv and New York again in 2025 or another year. Before the current economic problems, this route was clearly very common and worked well for them.

As more people want to travel after the pandemic, I’ll be interested to see if Delta finally brings this flight back, especially since new long-range planes are on the way. I’d be happy to recommend Delta for nonstop trips between Israel and the US again because I’ve had good experiences with this route.

Delta’s loss of straight service on this important route means I’ll have to change my travel tips for people going from the US to Israel for now. Check back on my blog to see if there are any new posts if Delta changes their transatlantic trip schedules. I hope you like reading “Delta Suspends Tel Aviv-New York Flights—Service Paused Until 2025′.