Israir Gains FAA Approval for Tel Aviv-NY Flights

Israir has secured final FAA clearance to launch scheduled flights between Tel Aviv and New York, targeting an October 19 launch and marking its return to the U.S. market after 17 years.

Israir has received final approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate scheduled commercial flights between Tel Aviv and New York. The approval was announced on August 24, 2026, and the airline plans to launch its first nonstop flight on October 19, 2026.

FAA Approval Completes Regulatory Path

The FAA clearance follows an August 18 announcement that the U.S. Department of Transportation had cleared Israir to begin selling tickets for U.S. routes. Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority had already authorized the carrier to operate its Airbus A330-200s to North America.

Israir said the FAA approval is the final and decisive step in the regulatory process, joining earlier approvals from Israeli and U.S. aviation authorities.

Tickets will go on sale soon, but the airline has not yet published its New York schedule or fares. Previous plans called for as many as six weekly round-trips, though the final timetable will be confirmed only when tickets become available.

New Aircraft and In-House Operations

Israir has acquired two Airbus A330-200 wide-body aircraft, registered 4X-BAK and 4X-BAL. The planes were delivered to U.S. Airways in 2010, later transferred to American Airlines after the carriers merged, and stored in 2020 when American retired its A330 fleet.

The aircraft retain their 247-seat American Airlines cabins, configured as follows:

Israir will operate the A330s with its own flight and cabin crews, a model that differs from Arkia Israeli Airlines, which relies on wet-lease agreements with foreign carriers for its transatlantic services. Operating its own aircraft gives Israir greater control over scheduling and crew availability, especially during periods when foreign airlines or their employees are unwilling to fly to Israel. It also places the full responsibility for higher maintenance, staffing and operating costs on the carrier.

Return to the U.S. Market

The Tel Aviv-New York route marks Israir’s return to the United States after an absence of roughly 17 years. The airline previously operated scheduled and charter flights between Israel and New York from 2003 until 2009.

Israir will join El Al and Arkia in offering nonstop flights between Tel Aviv and JFK. Arkia entered the market in February 2025 using wet-leased wide-body aircraft, while El Al remains the largest operator between Israel and the United States.

Delta Air Lines plans to resume daily JFK-Tel Aviv flights on September 6, and United Airlines plans to restore two daily flights between Newark Liberty International Airport and Tel Aviv on September 8. Those schedules remain subject to security conditions, as both airlines have repeatedly suspended and resumed service in response to conflict and airspace closures across the Middle East.

The airline’s first nonstop flight could be launched earlier than October 19 now that the FAA process is complete, but the carrier has not yet confirmed a revised timetable. The next concrete detail is the announcement that tickets will be available for sale shortly after the FAA approval.

Source: AeroTime