The buzz in Israel’s aviation industry lately has been about a new, affordable airline—at least affordable by Israeli standards—run by the country’s hi-tech industry under the name TechAir. However, it was announced at the time that the airline would be wet leasing the flights, including operations, from another Israeli airline.
Arkia announced on Monday that they would be the airline collaborating with TechAir, marking the first time the Israeli airline would fly to the US. They will launch a new direct flight between Tel Aviv and New York.
The flights, which will be available to the general public, will launch on February 8 and continue through May. The first one will leave Ben-Gurion Airport at 11:30 p.m. that day, and flights will continue three times per week. The price of a round-trip flight, including luggage, two full meals, and drinks, will start at $1,199.
The flights will be operated on an advanced Airbus 330-900 NEO aircraft, one of the newest and leading aircraft of the Spanish-Portuguese company Iberojet.
“I congratulate Arkia for accepting our offer and entering the aviation market to the US and Canada,” Transportation Minister Miri Regev said. This marked one of the few successes her ministry was able to achieve after it failed to meet its 2024 targets.
“This is a move that will expand the range of flights to North America and help Israeli citizens, tourists, and business people find flights at affordable prices,” she continued. “The State of Israel will assist airlines that choose to operate direct flights to the US, which will lead to real competition. More flights, more options for passengers, and lower prices.”
The flight schedule
The tentative flight schedule will look as follows.
New York > Tel Aviv
Sundays at 3:00 p.m.Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m.Thursdays at 4:00 p.m.
Tel Aviv > New York
Saturdays at 11:30 p.m.Mondays at 12:00 p.m.Wednesdays at 12:00 p.m.
This decision, as mentioned, came amid a serious crisis of flights to and from Israel due to international airlines’ cancellations of Israeli flights due to security concerns during the war.
According to Airways in a report released in late December, this is a wet lease, meaning the owner will supply the aircraft and at least one crew member, and they will take on operational responsibility, including maintenance, insurance procurement, and other legal obligations related to operations.
This comes at a time when it is nearly impossible to book a flight with the few airlines still operating regularly out of Israel. If one searches for flights in January on El Al’s website, for example, they are more than likely to encounter a message saying that there are no available tickets. Those that are available are in Premium Economy or higher and cost over $3,000 (approximately NIS 11,000) per round-trip ticket.
“The ongoing security situation in Israel has led to the suspension of many international flights, exacerbating the challenges for travelers, particularly those heading to New York,” the TechAir website says.
“Recognizing the critical need for affordable and accessible travel, the Israeli High-Tech Headquarters has launched an innovative non-profit initiative, ‘TechAir,’ to address the growing crisis. This initiative aims to restore open skies for Israel, offering practical and cost-effective solutions to the scarcity of flights to the United States.”
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