Airline says it will never fly to this country again

After the October 2023 deadly attack by militant group Hamas prompted the Israeli military’s entry into Gaza, multiple international airlines immediately stopped flying into the country.

United Airlines  (UAL)  and Delta  (DAL)  eventually resumed service the following year, but constant reneging on a ceasefire and escalation with terrorist group Hezbollah led these airlines to periodically start and stop their service.

American Airlines  (AAL) , meanwhile, has not flown to Israel since 2023 and is now pushing back resumption until at least September 2025.

“To provide customers with certainty when planning travel to Tel Aviv, we are expanding our travel alert to allow customers whose travel plans are impacted to rebook their itinerary for travel involving a partner airline or cancel for a refund,” American Airlines said in November 2024.

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Virgin Atlantic cancels Israel flights, points to partnership with El Al

A London-based airline founded by British business magnate Richard Branson in the 1980s, Virgin Atlantic has also stopped flying into Israel after the Hamas attack. 

While Virgin would run two daily flights between London and Tel Aviv before the breakout of the Israel-Hamas war, the airline just confirmed to aviation website Simple Flying that it will not resume flying into the country.

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Without stipulating reasons for the decision, Virgin Atlantic pointed at its codeshare agreement with Israel’s flagship carrier El Al  (ELALF)  as being able to fill the gap with any canceled flights.

“The codeshare partnership with El Al offers connections between Israel, the UK, and the U.S., allowing customers greater flexibility, with frequencies up to four daily flights, and choice when selecting travel between Israel and the UK,” Virgin Atlantic says. “Our partnership will offer reciprocal earn and redemption opportunities, as well as premium customer recognition and tier benefits for frequent flyers, including Flying Club and El Al’s Matmid program.”

Virgin Atlantic also said that anyone with a booked flight to Israel will be offered alternative transportation on El Al or a refund. El Al currently operates an average of two daily flights between London and Tel Aviv, as well as dozens of routes to U.S. cities like New York, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.

These are the international airlines that restarted their Israel flights

After international carriers canceled Israel service, El Al has been the primary carrier for traveling to Israel from both the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

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Virgin Atlantic did not elaborate on the reasons for pulling out of the Israeli market, beyond saying that the decision was made after “careful consideration.” But other carriers have previously commented on the safety of flying in during periods of active hostilities and uncertainty of when they may resume.

“Delta continues to closely monitor the situation in Israel in conjunction with government and private-sector partners," the airline said in 2024.

European carriers Lufthansa  (DLAKF)  and Air France  (AFRAF)  have restarted limited flights to Israel at the start of 2025.

"Resuming these routes will be subject to a new assessment of the security situation," Air France said in August 2024. "Air France reiterates that the safety of its customers and crews is its absolute priority.”

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