Israir Airlines has secured temporary approval from the US Department of Transport to operate flights between Tel Aviv and New York, positioning the carrier to become the newest competitor on one of Israel’s most in-demand international routes.

The Israeli carrier plans to operate Airbus A330 aircraft on dry lease arrangements, utilizing Israir’s own flight crews and maintenance personnel. Before launching service, the airline must still satisfy additional requirements from both the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

“It is estimated that the flights will operate starting from Passover 2026, and possibly before, depending on the availability of the aircraft on a long-term dry lease,” Israir said in a Monday press release.

Israir has not yet specified how many weekly flights it intends to operate when service launches next year, but this isn’t the airline’s first attempt at serving the lucrative North American market. The airline previously operated US-bound flights but discontinued the service in 2008 due to escalating fuel prices and declines in passenger numbers linked to a weak U.S. dollar at the time.

However, market conditions have changed dramatically since then. Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre and subsequent war in Gaza, many international carriers suspended service to Israel, leaving El Al as the only airline operating direct Israel-US flights. Arkia Airlines lightened the load a bit when it entered the market in February with three weekly flights to New York, which the carrier has confirmed to Globes will continue operating until at least March 2026 due to “success and high demand.”

For Jewish Americans looking to reconnect with their ancestral homeland, spring brought back much needed relief when United Airlines began resumed service with 14 weekly flights in March. Delta also returned earlier this month with seven weekly flights. El Al still maintains the strongest presence with 52 weekly flights to US destinations. American Airlines, which previously operated 10 weekly flights connecting Israel with New York and Miami, has not yet announced plans to return to Israel’s skies.