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On Sunday, August 2nd, American Airlines announced yet another change to its Tel Aviv flights. Rather than resuming service on January 6th, 2027, as previously stated, the airline has suspended service once again.

Instead of returning in the winter, those hoping to fly to Israel from New York via American Airlines will now have to wait until late spring. The decision is a result of continued tensions in the Northeast. However, this decision conflicts with two other major U.S. carriers, which have split travelers.

American Airlines Refuses Tel Aviv Flight Routes

In mid-May, American Airlines announced that it was halting all flights from New York to Israel beginning immediately. As a result, all nonstop flights were suspended, with the airport’s previous service to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on hold indefinitely. Travelers who already had flights booked were emailed with schedule adjustments and alternative options.

The change came not long after the airline suspended service to Israel in the wake of the Hamas-led massacre, which occurred on October 3rd, 2023. At that point, American Airlines flights to Tel Aviv were scheduled to return the following spring. However, by March 2024, flight routes still had not resumed, and there was yet another temporary suspension.

“We understand you may have questions about your upcoming travel. We’re working around the clock to care for you on your travel journey. If your flight is impacted, we’ll reach out via email and app notifications,” American Airlines says in a statement regarding travel cancellations.

The last airline suspension was implemented in September. But in a recent statement, American Airlines said that the suspension deadline is being pushed back. Now, travelers looking to fly from New York to Israel must wait at least three more months to see what the airline’s decision will be in 2027.

New York to Israel Routes May Start Again In Late Spring 2027

As of August 2nd, American Airlines has extended its suspension deadline for flights from New York to Israel through March 28th, 2027. While the airline’s waiver is still in place for those whose flights were canceled or rerouted, the decision now has a significant bearing on travel moving into the new year.

American Airlines has also temporarily suspended service to Doha, Qatar, citing unrest in the region. Travelers who have already booked these now-canceled flights have the same waiver options as those headed to Israel. Flights to Qatar are expected to begin again in January 2027; however, no additional details have been released.

Compounding travelers’ frustration is a route from Los Angeles to Tel Aviv that never materialized. The proposed American Airlines route was slated to begin in March 2026, but never came to fruition. Now, this is stacked with the suspension extension of New York flights, specifically those flying out of John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

As of August 2026, both Delta and United Airlines anticipate restarting their service to Israel by September 2026. Flight information from American Airlines shows the earliest flight ticket between JFK and Tel Aviv (TLV) to start on March 4th, 2027. These flights begin at $1,076 and increase in price, although it remains to be seen if this will continue to be the case as we near the new year.

However, these are not round-trip, and most have layovers in Madrid, Barcelona, or London. As we near the new year, it remains to be seen if new flights will be updated in accordance with the suspension deadline.