Returning to Tel Aviv: First United Airlines flight since February lands at Ben-Gurion Airport

Jerusalem Post/Business & InnovationUnited Airlines’ first flight from Newark to Tel Aviv since before Operation Roaring Lion landed in Israel on Wednesday.Follow us on Google A United Airlines flight lands at Ben-Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, March 31, 2025; illustrative.(photo credit: YOSSI ALONI/FLASH90)SEPTEMBER 9, 2026 21:41The first flight of a United Airlines passenger plane from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion Airport (TLV) landed in Israel on Wednesday.The plane, a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, took off to fly the return route back to Newark later on Wednesday.The airline has not operated the route since before Operation Roaring Lion in February. Several airlines canceled their operations to the Middle East, including Israel, due to the then-regular Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks across the region.Currently, it is operating two round trips between its main hub in Newark and Tel Aviv every day, with a third slated to be added from November, The Jerusalem Post learned.Airline to resume direct flights between Tel Aviv, Chicago, Washington, San FranciscoMeanwhile, the airline has also planned to resume direct flights from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) from October. Additionally, United is slated to resume flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) starting in March 2027, the Post previously reported.A United Airlines plane seen at Ben-Gurion Airport, August 14, 2025; illustrative. (credit: YOSSI ALONI/FLASH90)The San Francisco flights, in particular, will boast the “highest frequency of business class seats between the two cities of any airline,” United claimed in August.Delta also resumes flights, raising competition on the Israel-US routeDelta Air Lines also returned to Israel on Monday, landing at Ben-Gurion over 40 minutes ahead of schedule, the airline said at the time.Delta’s Airbus A330-900neo left New York’s JFK Airport on Sunday, making it the first flight the airline operated since before Operation Roaring Lion.Aaron Glick contributed to this report.Follow us on Google