Israel’s national carrier quietly resumes long-haul links after two-week break caused by war fears
EL AL Airlines has restarted flights between South Florida and Tel Aviv this week, restoring a vital transatlantic connection that was abruptly severed amid fears of a wider regional war. The resumption signals a cautious return to normal for Israeli aviation—though the skies aren’t exactly calm just yet.
The first jet lifted off from Miami International on Sunday, and Fort Lauderdale is set to follow with departures beginning Friday. The two-week pause, triggered by the conflict with Iran, had grounded dozens of flights and left travelers scrambling for options. Now, with the threat dialed down a notch, Israel’s national airline is back in the air.
First Flight Quietly Returns to the Skies
It wasn’t marked by a big ceremony. No red carpets. No press conferences. Just a 2 p.m. departure from Miami, right on schedule. And nearly 12 hours later, the EL AL Boeing 787 touched down at Ben Gurion International Airport, closing the gap between two cities that—until mid-June—were seeing more foot traffic than ever before.
Miami airport spokesman Greg Chin kept it short and simple: “EL AL resumed Miami-Tel Aviv service yesterday. They have their normal schedule this week.”
The message was low-key, almost deliberately so.
And that’s exactly the point.
The airline, still wary of geopolitical jitters, appears to be tiptoeing its way back. The absence of marketing buzz is telling—it’s all about minimizing attention, especially with tensions still simmering beneath the surface.
Fort Lauderdale Flights Restart July 4
The next checkpoint comes this Friday. That’s when EL AL is expected to restart its Fort Lauderdale-Tel Aviv route—an option increasingly popular with tourists, dual citizens, and business travelers alike.
Arlene Satchell, spokesperson for the Broward County Aviation Department, confirmed the update: “We were advised that EL AL anticipates resuming the FLL-Tel Aviv flights on Friday, July 4.”
A quiet return on a holiday weekend. Probably not a coincidence.
This Fort Lauderdale leg had been a symbol of Israel’s deepening U.S. ties outside the big New York and LA markets. When it was first launched, the South Florida flights were met with water salutes and celebration. Now, they’re resuming with a whisper, in the shadow of an uneasy truce.
Why It Was Grounded—and Why It Matters
Let’s rewind a bit. On June 14, EL AL made the call to suspend multiple long-haul services as Iran fired missiles toward Israel and the country’s northern skies lit up with interceptors. While air defenses held up, civilian aviation didn’t want to gamble. Risk analysts had flagged commercial flights as soft targets.
EL AL wasn’t the only one to hit pause. Lufthansa, British Airways, and Air France also rerouted or temporarily halted flights into Tel Aviv.
But for EL AL, the decision hit especially hard. This is a flag carrier with deep national identity. Suspending routes—even briefly—carries more than just commercial weight. It signals uncertainty, even vulnerability.
Travelers were left rebooking via Europe or scrambling for flights through New York. Israel’s tourism board urged patience. The Israeli consulate in Miami had to manage waves of inquiries.
One traveler said bluntly, “It felt like a bad flashback to 2021. Except this time, I couldn’t even rebook.”
What the Schedule Looks Like Now
EL AL’s updated schedule includes:
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Miami (MIA) to Tel Aviv (TLV): Operating three times weekly
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Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Tel Aviv (TLV): Resumes July 4, twice weekly
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Aircraft: Boeing 787 Dreamliner
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Flight duration: ~11.5 to 12 hours
The table below outlines EL AL’s South Florida operations pre- and post-suspension:
| Route | Status Before Suspension | Suspension Period | Resumed On | Weekly Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami–Tel Aviv | Active | June 14–June 29 | June 30 | 3x weekly |
| FLL–Tel Aviv | Active | June 14–July 3 (est.) | July 4 (planned) | 2x weekly |
Flights may increase depending on demand, though the airline hasn’t released projections yet.
Bigger Picture: Flying Through Uncertainty
This isn’t just about one airline flipping a switch back on.
It’s about resilience—economic, emotional, and operational.
South Florida’s Jewish community—one of the largest in the U.S.—depends on these links. So do tech investors, healthcare executives, and an army of dual-passport holders who straddle both countries for work and family.
The pause was a gut punch. The return, while understated, means a lot.
One Miami-based travel agent said, “There were people calling me in tears. They had weddings to attend. Medical appointments. Funerals. You don’t just ‘reschedule’ life.”
But the risk calculus isn’t simple. EL AL still operates with heavy insurance costs, onboard air marshals, and altered flight paths when needed. The airline often flies with one eye on the radar and another on regional diplomacy.
So yeah, flights have resumed—but the nerves haven’t settled.
What Comes Next for Israel’s Aviation Strategy?
The future remains bumpy. But airlines like EL AL are getting better at pivoting fast.
Some analysts think we’re moving into a “flexible flying” era, where national carriers adjust quickly to geopolitical shocks. That means backup airports, alternate flight paths, hybrid ticketing, and remote check-in hubs.
Others are calling for stronger coordination between NATO-aligned countries and Middle Eastern airspaces—something that would have been unthinkable just a decade ago.
Still, the immediate concern is passenger confidence. Will they come back? And if they do, will they book direct?
One sentence.
That’s the big unknown. But for now, at least, the engines are roaring again.
