Israir Airlines just took delivery of its first wide-body Airbus A330 in Israel, setting the stage for something the airline hasn’t done since 2008: fly passengers across the Atlantic to New York.

The aircraft is the first of two A330s the airline acquired for approximately $85 million, and it’s headed for a very specific mission. Israir plans to launch direct flights from Tel Aviv to New York’s JFK Airport starting in early August 2026.

Why now, and why New York

The timing here is not accidental. United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have both suspended their services to Israel, with those pauses extending until at least September 2026. That’s left a significant hole in one of the most heavily traveled international corridors in the region.

Israir isn’t exactly a newcomer to this specific route. The airline previously operated A330 flights to New York back in 2008 before pulling back to focus on regional operations. So this is less of a bold experiment and more of a strategic revisit, nearly 18 years later, under market conditions that are considerably more favorable.

The operational buildup

Israir has been on a hiring spree to support the new long-haul operations. The airline has brought on 16 new pilots and 50 flight attendants specifically in anticipation of the New York route.

The two A330s represent approximately $85 million in aircraft investment alone. That’s a meaningful capital outlay for Israel’s second-largest airline, signaling that this isn’t a toe-in-the-water test.

What this means for travelers and the competitive landscape

El Al, Israel’s flag carrier, has been the dominant player on the Tel Aviv-to-New York route and has essentially had the corridor to itself since US carriers pulled back. Israir’s entry introduces direct competition on what has been, at least temporarily, something close to a monopoly route.

United and Delta have suspended their Israel services until September 2026, but suspensions are not cancellations. If the security situation stabilizes and US carriers decide to return, Israir could find itself competing not just with El Al but with deep-pocketed American airlines that have extensive loyalty programs and connecting networks that a regional Israeli carrier simply cannot match.

The recruitment of 66 new crew members also suggests Israir is building capacity for more than just a summer trial run. The investment in personnel, combined with the $85 million aircraft acquisition, points to a longer-term strategic bet on transatlantic service.