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After more than two years without operating flights to Israel, American Airlines may be preparing for a long-awaited return. The airline, which suspended its operations at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) in 2023, has recently begun hiring Hebrew-speaking flight attendants. This move has sparked speculation about the carrier’s renewed interest in resuming service to the region.
Airlines often recruit multilingual flight attendants in advance of launching or resuming routes to destinations requiring specific language skills. American’s search for Hebrew-speaking crew members suggests that the airline is positioning itself for a potential restart of flights to Israel once security and operational conditions are ready. The timing of this recruitment aligns with recent ceasefire developments.
American Airlines has had an inconsistent presence in Israel compared to its US competitors. Before the pandemic, the airline did not operate any flights to Tel Aviv under its own brand (though predecessor US Airways had flown there until 2013). American reentered the market in May 2021 with a New York John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) service (followed by a Miami International Airport (MIA) route in June 2021).
Plans were also announced for a Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) route (this was slated for a June 2022 launch, but never happened due to aircraft delivery delays). By March 2023, American had discontinued its Miami flights and later indefinitely shelved its Dallas plans as well. The New York service was also suspended amid rising instability. This left the airline without a presence in Israel.
While Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have maintained intermittent operations to Israel (both have resumed flying from the New York area), American has held off. United has long dominated flights between the United States and Israel (second to EL AL) and has said that several past routes from its other hubs will resume soon. Delta has flown less itself, but does have a strategic partnership with EL AL (since 2024).
If American decides to restart flights to Israel, it would make sense for New York John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to be the route for reentry. The airline’s previous attempt to build a presence through Miami International Airport (MIA) proved challenging despite the region’s sizable Jewish community and strong tourism potential.
Anthony’s Take: While American Airlines has not officially confirmed any plans, the recruitment of Hebrew-speaking crew signals preparation for a future comeback. We’ll mark this one as “stay tuned.”
(Featured Image Credit: American Airlines.)
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