United Resumes Twice-Daily Newark–Tel Aviv Flights

United Airlines has resumed passenger flights between Newark Liberty International Airport and Tel Aviv, joining Delta Air Lines in restoring service from the New York area. United’s first returning flight landed at Ben-Gurion Airport on Wednesday, according to The Jerusalem Post, which reported the arrival on Sept. 9, 2026.

The Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner flew back to Newark later Wednesday, the Post reported. United is now operating two daily round trips on the route, with a third planned for November. Delta had returned to Israel on Monday with an Airbus A330-900neo from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

These are operating flights, not just dates restored to a booking calendar. But the comeback remains staged: Newark and JFK have returned first, while other U.S. gateways are scheduled to follow over the coming months.

Newark–Tel Aviv returns with two daily flights

United’s restart began with departures from Newark on Sept. 8, according to Simple Flying. That departure date and the Wednesday arrival reported by The Jerusalem Post describe different ends of the same overnight service, an important distinction when reading the restart announcements.

Simple Flying published the following initial schedule:

• UA84 leaves Newark at 3:25 p.m. and arrives in Tel Aviv at 8:55 a.m. the following day.
• UA90 leaves Newark at 10:50 p.m. and arrives in Tel Aviv at 4:20 p.m. the following day.
• UA85 leaves Tel Aviv at 11 a.m. and arrives in Newark at 3:50 p.m.
• UA91 leaves Tel Aviv at 11:25 p.m. and arrives in Newark at 4:15 a.m. the following day.

The two eastbound departures give travelers a choice between a morning arrival and a late-afternoon arrival in Israel. Westbound, the published schedule offers either an afternoon arrival in Newark or an overnight journey reaching New Jersey early the next morning. Those arrival-day differences are useful for itinerary planning alongside the headline restart date.

According to Simple Flying, United’s Boeing 787-10 has 318 seats: 44 in Polaris business class, 21 in Premium Plus and 253 in economy. The publication reported that the initial two-flight schedule matches the frequency United operated before the suspension.

More United gateways are scheduled to follow

The next stage is broader than an extra Newark departure. The Jerusalem Post reported that United plans to restore direct Tel Aviv flights from Chicago O’Hare and Washington Dulles from October, followed by San Francisco in March 2027.

Simple Flying’s schedule report places Chicago’s return in late October, with Washington following a day later. Both routes are scheduled to use the Boeing 787-8, configured with 243 seats: 28 in Polaris business class, 21 in Premium Plus and 194 in economy.

For Newark, Simple Flying cited aviation analytics company Cirium’s data showing an increase to three daily services from Nov. 3. Some rotations are scheduled to use the Boeing 787-9 rather than the larger 787-10.

That aircraft change is worth noting for cabin selection. Simple Flying reported that United’s 787-9 carries 257 passengers, including 48 in Polaris, 21 in Premium Plus and 188 in economy. It has fewer total seats than the 787-10 but more business-class seats. The published configurations show why travelers comparing departures should look at the aircraft as well as the flight time.

The distinction remains straightforward: Newark service has resumed; Chicago, Washington, San Francisco and the additional Newark frequency are planned additions. They should not be read as already operating.

Delta’s JFK return precedes its Atlanta restart

Delta’s first returning flight departed JFK on Sunday and landed at Ben-Gurion on Monday, according to The Jerusalem Post. TravelPulse identified the JFK route’s restart date as Sept. 6 and reported that Delta was the first U.S. carrier to return.

Delta’s Atlanta service is also scheduled to resume. According to Simple Flying, nonstop service from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is scheduled to resume Dec. 19, 2026, after the airline extended its suspension through Dec. 18.

The planned Atlanta operation uses an Airbus A350-900 three times weekly. Simple Flying lists eastbound departures on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with return departures from Tel Aviv on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The first Atlanta departure is scheduled for 11:55 p.m., reaching Tel Aviv at 6:25 p.m. the following day.

This is a restoration, not a new route. Simple Flying reported that Delta first launched Atlanta–Tel Aviv in 2006, withdrew it in 2011 and revived it in 2023 before war interrupted that return. The proposed three-times-weekly operation is smaller than the daily service Delta offered during 2023.

Restored service is not a blanket safety assessment

The disruption behind these resumptions was substantial. The Jerusalem Post reported that United had not operated the Newark route since before Operation Roaring Lion in February. Several airlines canceled Middle East operations amid then-regular Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks across the region, the publication reported.

In a separate Sept. 8 report, Simple Flying said United was restoring selected Tel Aviv flights because safety restrictions on Israeli airspace had eased. That explains the operating change; it does not establish a broader assessment of conditions for travelers throughout Israel.

For booking decisions, separate what has landed from what remains scheduled. The confirmed return is United from Newark and Delta from JFK. The additional gateways expand the planned choices, but their future restart dates are not evidence of completed operations. The useful news is restored air access, with a clearly defined first stage and further routes still to come.