Israelis looking to travel to the city that never sleeps and Americans visiting the Holy Land are in luck, because Arkia Israel Airlines launched their direct, round-trip flights between Tel Aviv and New York earlier this month, marking the airline’s first time flying to the United States.
The debut of Arkia’s new route comes on the heels of a year-long crisis in the travel industry as many international airlines terminated service to or from Ben-Gurion Airport – or gained a reputation for being unreliable with last-minute flight cancellations that left travelers scrambling for alternatives.
For a long time, El Al remained the only airline to consistently service travelers looking to fly into or out of Israel, particularly on direct routes to the US, resulting in a monopoly that drastically drove prices up while being unable to meet demand.
The new line of Arkia – which in Hebrew means “I will soar, to the sky” – was launched in order to address both the severe shortage of flights between Israel and the United States and the increasingly prohibitive costs of tickets. While this new route was originally a joint initiative with the hi-tech industry’s TechAir, the current line is operated independently by Arkia, Israel’s second largest airline after El Al, with no connection to the other aspiring airline company.
Flights from Ben-Gurion to JFK are scheduled for Saturday nights at 11:30 p.m. and Mondays and Wednesdays at noon; flights from JFK to Ben-Gurion are scheduled for Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday afternoons.
The flights are operated using an Airbus 330-900 NEO aircraft from Spanish-Portuguese company Iberojet, with an Israeli crew from Arkia. The aircraft has a full economy-class configuration, without any business or first-class seats, increasing the availability of low-cost tickets. It can hold 388 passengers and crew members, according to Iberojet.
How much do the New York flights cost?
Ticket prices were advertised as starting at $1,199 for a direct round-trip flight, and while this might not seem low compared to the prices of international airlines before the war, it is a reasonable price in the context of El Al’s monopoly on the route over the past few months. The ticket includes two meals and checked luggage, with a standard allowance of 23 kg., as well as hand luggage.
At Arkia’s website, which is available in Hebrew, English and French, there was a wider price range – of one-way, not round-trip flights – depending on how soon the flights were.
While much has been said about Arkia’s contribution to meeting rising demand and its competitive prices, the remaining question for many is how the airline’s transatlantic flight experience compares with that of other airlines. That is what I set out to discover as I embarked on Arkia’s inaugural flight on February 8 as part of a press trip with a group of journalists, media representatives, and travel influencers.
A FESTIVE ceremony marking the route launch was held in Ben-Gurion Airport’s Terminal 3 prior to the 11:30 p.m. Saturday night flight, attended by aviation industry officials and other figures. Amid a backdrop of New York City scenes and a replica of the Statue of Liberty, guests mingled and enjoyed classic American food, along with champagne to mark the special occasion.
“Today is a defining moment in Arkia’s history,” CEO Oz Berlowitz said in his opening remarks. “The launch of the direct line to New York is not just an expansion of business activity – it is a testament to our growth, courage, and vision. New York is a global center, a strategic destination of enormous importance, and the most important airline route for the State of Israel – and Arkia’s presence in this market signifies a new era for us.”
Larry L. Memmott, Head of the Economic Section at the US Embassy in Israel, who also attended the ceremony, emphasized the new flight’s importance in connecting Israel and the United States. “Flights like this connect families, promote the economy, support cultural exchanges, and boost tourism,” he said. “They preserve the strong and deep ties between our two countries.”
In a pre-recorded video, Transportation Minister Miri Regev declared, “Tonight we are making history,” pointing to the launch of Arkia’s flight to New York as “a significant moment that will lead to increased competition, an increase in the offer of flights, and more accessible prices for Israeli citizens, tourists, and businessmen.”
Following a ceremonial ribbon cutting and a round of applause, passengers prepared for boarding. It was time to see what the buzz was about.
As we boarded the plane, the first thing we noticed was that the seats, arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration, were customized with Arkia’s cheerfully colorful headrest covers. Though all the seats are economy class, they were reasonably comfortable and spacious and had the ability to recline. Each seat included a personal screen with a selection of movies, TV series, games, and a flight tracker, and the airline provided standard amenities, such as a small pillow, light blanket, and earbuds. I had no problem getting comfortable as the plane took off.
The only drawback I encountered was the lack of Wi-Fi availability, which can be a significant inconvenience on a flight lasting over 12 hours. If you plan on staying awake for a portion of the flight, be sure to download any shows or music playlists for offline playback beforehand, which I did as I waited for boarding.
TWO MEALS are provided onboard – a hot dinner and a cold breakfast sandwich, along with a variety of hot and cold drinks. All meals are kosher, but those who require mehadrin or have any other dietary restrictions must order a special meal in advance. I ordered the vegetarian meal, which consisted of rice with lentils and baked sweet potatoes, green beans, and tofu, along with the standard accompanying bread roll or pita, hummus, salad, and dessert.
While I generally prefer to take advantage of long flights to read or write, it had been a long week and I found myself napping instead, and the hours passed quickly. Soon enough, the plane was approaching New York, at which point breakfast was served, consisting of a sandwich roll with cheese and pesto. I had expected something a bit more substantial, especially considering the length of the flight, but there would be time to get a second (non-airplane) breakfast later.
We landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport before the sun rose and were greeted by a fresh layer of snow blanketing the city. An advantage of the Saturday night flight is that it lands in New York early Sunday morning (around 5 a.m. in our case), allowing travelers to make the trip from the airport to Manhattan early enough to enjoy their first day in the city to the fullest.
By 7:40 a.m., we had already reached our accommodations at the W New York Hotel in Times Square. After settling in to the room, which offered an exquisite view of the city from the vantage point of the 50th floor, I prepared to make the most of my time in the snowy Big Apple.
As the card that had been slipped under the door read, “You’ve landed in a city that never sleeps – but don’t worry, with Arkia, we always get you here on time!” And at the end of the day, that’s what matters. The introduction of Arkia’s New York-Tel Aviv route opens opportunities for more people to travel and will take you where you need to go.
The writer was a guest of Arkia.