International Airlines Expand Flights and Seat Capacity on Israel Routes
Airlines including United, Etihad, British Airways, and Iberia are expanding flights and seat capacity in Israel as foreign carriers gradually resume operations following recent security disruptions.
Major international airlines are expanding their operations on routes to and from Israel, increasing seat capacity and flight frequencies amid the gradual return of foreign carriers and growing demand for connecting flights.
Etihad and United Boost Operations
Etihad Airways announced that it will increase seat capacity on the Tel Aviv–Abu Dhabi route, which serves as a major hub for connecting flights to Asian destinations. Starting November 9, the airline will operate its daily flight departing Ben Gurion Airport at 14:00 using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, replacing the Airbus A321 currently in use. The Dreamliner offers 316 seats compared to 188 on the aircraft it replaces. Consequently, Etihad's daily seat capacity on flights departing Israel will increase from 1,128 to 1,256, marking an 11.3% rise. The airline will continue operating six daily flights on the route, totaling 42 weekly flights. This expansion comes as flydubai continues to suspend its flights to Israel following an attempted aircraft hijacking. Meanwhile, Israeli airlines have yet to receive approval to resume flights to the United Arab Emirates, making Etihad the sole operator connecting the two countries at this stage.
United Airlines, which returned to Israel last month by resuming flights between Tel Aviv and Newark, is expanding its US network this week. Starting October 26, the carrier will operate four weekly flights to Chicago, and on October 28, it will add three weekly flights to Washington, D.C. These routes join the two daily Newark flights that resumed on September 9 after being halted due to Operation Roaring Lion. The airline later plans to resume Tel Aviv–San Francisco flights starting March 30, 2027.
British Airways and Iberia Return
British Airways and Iberia resumed flights from Ben Gurion Airport after suspending operations at the onset of Operation Roaring Lion. British Airways returned with a daily flight to London, down from its previous schedule of two daily flights. Iberia, part of the IAG group, also resumed daily flights to Madrid. The return of both carriers is expected to boost European route competition, though ticket availability and pricing will depend on seasonal winter demand and overall market capacity.
