United Cancels Flights Until June, Resumptions Uncertain
The US carrier said it will suspend service until at least June 15. The move comes despite United having been one of the more prominent airlines to resume service to Israel in recent months following earlier disruptions.
United Airlines has canceled all flights to and from Israel for the next three months, dealing a significant blow to transatlantic travel as the war with Iran continues.
The US carrier said it will suspend service until at least June 15, halting routes that typically connect Tel Aviv with Newark, Washington and Chicago. The move comes despite United having been one of the more prominent airlines to resume service to Israel in recent months following earlier disruptions.
The suspension effectively removes one of the main direct links between Israel and the United States during a peak travel period, including the Passover holiday season, when demand rises sharply.
Other major carriers have also extended cancellations, though for shorter periods. The Lufthansa Group, which includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings, has suspended flights to Israel through April 9. That still covers the entirety of the Passover travel window.
Delta Airlines has pushed back its return to Israel routes as well. Direct flights from New York are now expected to resume no earlier than June, while plans to restart the Atlanta–Tel Aviv route have been delayed until August.
American Airlines, which has not resumed direct service to Israel since October 2023, has again postponed its planned return. Flights are now expected to resume in late April, though that timeline remains uncertain given the regional security situation.
As a result, most available routes between Israel and the United States now require connections, often through European hubs such as Frankfurt.
The ongoing cancellations are once again leaving Israel’s national carrier, El Al, as the primary provider of consistent direct service, contributing to limited availability and higher ticket prices.
The aviation disruptions reflect broader instability across the region, with airlines repeatedly adjusting schedules in response to security risks and the evolving conflict. For travelers, the message is fairly blunt: if you were planning a neat, direct hop to or from Israel anytime soon, the airlines have other ideas.