Competition on the heavily traveled Israel-New York route is heating up, with five airlines expected to operate nonstop service — and passengers are finally beginning to see signs of lower fares.

Israir is scheduled to launch its inaugural Tel Aviv-New York flight on Tuesday, September 15, becoming the fifth airline serving the route alongside El Al, Arkia, Delta and United.

Travelers looking to fly during the Yom Tov season, however, shouldn’t expect bargains just yet. Heavy demand is keeping fares elevated, with some upcoming round-trip tickets reaching approximately $1,500 or more per passenger.

The bigger change appears to be coming in early 2027, when increased competition and additional available seats are expected to put significant downward pressure on prices.

Recently available fares show Delta round-trip flights for approximately $878 during January and February, while some late-February and March dates have dropped to around $773 per passenger. El Al has also offered fares in a similar range on select dates. Prices remain subject to availability and booking dates.

The decline comes as the nonstop market expands sharply. Delta and United have returned to the route, while Israir is entering the New York market with wide-body aircraft. El Al and Arkia are also continuing their service, giving passengers significantly more options than they had during periods when foreign carriers suspended flights to Israel.

For travelers with flexible schedules, January through March could offer particularly attractive opportunities. While New York’s winter weather makes January and February less popular travel months, some March fares are also appearing below $1,000 round trip.

The bottom line: Yom Tov travelers are still likely to pay premium prices, but by early 2027, the days of extremely limited competition on the Tel Aviv-New York route appear to be ending — with nonstop round-trip fares once again approaching the $800 range.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)