Israeli carrier Arkia is now selling nonstop flights between JFK and Tel Aviv between February 8th-May 8th. This will help relieve some of the availability issues that have plagued the route since October 7th.
Flights are bookable directly from Arkia, and don’t appear to be available from online travel agencies.
Arkia doesn’t have any widebody planes or crew, so they will wet-lease an Iberojet A330-900neo to operate the service. Iberojet is a Spanish-Portuguese charter carrier.
European airlines are slowly returning to Israel, though many are still hesitant to return, with unions refusing to operate in a war zone. If there is a flare-up, this service would likely be paused as it will be operated by a European crew, versus El Al flights that are operated by an Israeli crew.
Only 1 plane is being leased, so if there are any weather or mechanical issues, delays and cancelations will have ripple effects for days after the flight.
Ironically, the A330-900neo is the same plane type that Arkia originally agreed to purchase from Airbus to operate service from JFK to Tel Aviv. Arkia invited me to Toulouse in January 2019 as Airbus wined and dined them as they picked out interior options for the plane, though sadly, those planes didn’t wind up at Arkia. But 6 years later, Arkia will be selling flights on the same plane and route as originally intended.
Iberojet’s A330-900neo is an all-economy plane with a whopping 388 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration (tapering to 2-3-2 in the rear) and a 30-31″ seat pitch.
Currently, flights in February cost $599 each way, March flights cost $799-$999 each way, April flights cost $899-$1,399 each way, and May flights cost $799-$999 each way. Unlike most international flights, there doesn’t appear to be any surcharge for booking one-way.
It appears that in many of the middle rows of 4, Arkia will only sell the 2 aisle seats, and will offer the 2 aisle seats in those rows at just a $100 upcharge, with a guaranteed empty adjacent seat. That’s a great deal!
Other seat assignments will cost $10-$35, though you can also wait until check-in for a free seat assignment. Row 13 offers extra legroom for a $150 upcharge.
The plane will depart from JFK’s Terminal 4, which is where El Al also operates from, and where a plethora of lounges can be found.
Flights include 1 checked bag, though it can only weigh up to 44 pounds. An additional bag will cost $80 online or $110 at the airport. A small backpack is included, but a larger carry-on bag up to 17 pounds will cost $15 online or $20 at the airport.
2 meals are included and you can select Glatt Kosher Mehadrin meals.
Flights begin on February 8th, and will operate 3 days per week, with flights departing from Tel Aviv on Saturday evenings, Mondays, and Wednesdays, and return flights from JFK on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
There are conflicting reports on the flight times.
According to the Arkia site, the Tel Aviv to JFK flight on Saturday departs at 11:30pm and arrives at 5:50am the next day. On Monday and Wednesday it will depart at 8:30am and arrive at 2:50pm the same day.
The JFK to Tel Aviv return flight departs at 12:30pm on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and arrives into Tel Aviv at 6:30am the next day.
However, news reports say that the Tel Aviv to JFK flight on Saturday departs at 11:30pm and arrives at 5:50am the next day. On Monday and Wednesday it will depart at noon and arrive at 6:20pm the same day.
The JFK to Tel Aviv return flight departs at 3pm on Sunday and Tuesday, and arrives into Tel Aviv at 9am the next day. The JFK to Tel Aviv return flight departs at 4pm on Thursday, and arrives into Tel Aviv at 10am the next day.
Either way, the plane will be sitting on the ground at JFK for an incredible 21 hours on at least 2 days per week, which doesn’t strike me as the best utilization ratio for the plane.
Can Arkia compete with El Al on this route? What will happen if US carriers return to the market in the meantime? Only time will tell.
Will you book any flights with Arkia between JFK and Tel Aviv?
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67 Comments On "Arkia Now Selling Nonstop Flights Between JFK And Tel Aviv!"
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Enjoy flying Spirit Airlines to Israel
Way worse than spirit
Well delta are selling seats from start of April… So we’ll see what happens
Don’t think so. Hope it will lower or at least hold the El Al prices and encourage some of the old carriers to jump on-board, pun intended.
This seems to be the same techair flights
https://www.techair.co.il/
Correct, but now they’re actually for sale.
Not being a guinea pig for this. Booked on El Al for May
Do they have an english website?
click on the tiny Israeli flag on the upper left – I was able to change it to English
Arkia is the only Israeli airline that sadly flies on Shabbat.
Plus the service is atrocious.
If you read the article, this is a wet lease. The crew are from Iberojet.
Arkia are selling these flights.
Arkia is the only Israeli airline that sadly flies on Shabbat.
The crews will not be Arkia, but Iberoworld
But Arkia is still making money from their Shabbos work
Israir and AirHaifa also sadly fly on Shabbos
Which scheduled flight do they have on shabbos?
Israir and air hifa also fly on shabbos.
Only Elal doesn’t.
Which israir flight is on shabbos?
Are you writing from knowledge?
ElAL flies cargo and repositioning flights on shabbos.
I thought so to.
But I checked their schedule, there are no Air Haifa flights scheduled for Shabbos.
Is it true that they fly on Shabbos?
The airline flies on Shabbos, but this route will not operate on Shabbos.
And what if “this” route doesn’t fly on Shabbos?!
If this company flies on Shabbos its huge desecration
El Al flies cargo and repositioning flights on Saturdays too. What’s your point?
source?
ElAl flies cargo flights and does all thier maintenance on shabbat, they won’t to hire mechanics that refuse to work on shabbat.
Whose slots did they get?
Do they offer business class
“Iberojet’s A330-900neo is an all-economy plane with a whopping 388 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration (tapering to 2-3-2 in the rear) and a 30-31″ seat pitch.”
their asking for an identity card for emergency contact I keep entering and they keep saying its invalid
its very confusing website, if you don’t change the website to English AND USA, it will be asking for Todat zehut as ID, once changed you will be able to enter your passport number
enter 100000009
call them at 6468143001. They booked it for me.
I looked at Elal and at arkia for 3 tickets for Pesach, and Arkia is way more expensive. It looks loike compettion is only good for the long run, and not for the short run.
“It appears that in many of the middle rows of 4, Arkia will only sell the 2 aisle seats, and will offer the 2 aisle seats in those rows at just a $100 upcharge, with a guaranteed empty adjacent seat. That’s a great deal!”
Why does that made sense? $200 is way less than they can get for filling up those two seats.
They must not expect to sell all 388 seats, so this is better than getting nothing.
Even now?
“The JFK to Tel Aviv return flight departs at 12:30pm on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and arrives into Tel Aviv at 6:30am the next day.”
I think you meant to say the “return flight departs at 12:30AM” instead of PM
No.
Are you sure? That would be one heck of a long flight.
Uh. Those are both local times.
Ah return flight = JFK -> TLV? I’m used to the return flight being TLV -> JFK
Anyway to buy insurance?
Charters and their aircraft are inherently less safe than Scheduled airlines…..
Arkia was supposed to buy this specific tail number? or just this specific body type?
Nice to have competition finally… but 1200 for a round trip to Israel still feels so expensive
It is much more expensive $2100 for a 2 way flight for Pesach.
I flew them from Milan. It got me there but very no frills. My flight had a delay, and my daughter found that all the prior flights had a 3 hours delay. Arkia did not provide this information. There was no one was at the gate to ask.
I booked on Priceline since the website was hard to use. Make sure you have an actual reservation. The flight to TLV was booked by another party which did not work. The flight going back to Milan was charged to Arkia and was valid.
Mostly joking here but if one can fly charters out of teterboro, someone should start a one stop service on a 757 to tlv
i keep getting a payment eror when trying to pay
Unfortunately an Israeli Airline that is Mechalel Shabbos Befarhesia!
BTW the airline claims that will have a least some of their Israeli crew on board.
Just important to point out that if for any reason they have a delay on the Thursday flight, they unfortunately have no obligation to postpone the flight until after Shabbos, They can instead just land on Shabbos R”L. and they unfortunately have a very bad record when it comes to Delays and changing schedule..
I don’t think you know what your talking about,
There’s a law in Israel similar to the EU261 in Europe that says if there’s a delay and you don’t want to fly because the flight is going to land on shabbos you don’t have to fly on it and the airline is responsible to fly you after shabbos.
Customer: I love flying Spirit, but I wish I could take them for a 12-hour, international flight. Also, it’s a shame the stewardesses aren’t ruder.
Travel agent: Boy, do I have news for you!
Flights are bookable directly from Arkia, and “don’t appear to be available from online travel agencies.”
10/10
Time for ELAL to pull their socks up,
as a high tier member I find it extremely diffcult to enjoy the dull menu of destinations and connection options.
I fully expect them to offer me solutions by selling me ticket at least to all or most major international
Destinations.
This is something that separates a national carrier from any low cost airline
But in this specific term they have way to go and meanwhile they are just a upgraded low cost style
As I wrote to them myself they should of and still should use the non everlasting leverage they have in this situation to reshape their service and products
no.1 by expanding alliances and partnerships to maximze connectivity and destinations!!!
Making a plan of future expansion,
how about EL AL terminal?
For example Canada was left with zero direct flights and hardly indirect flights all this time they could of made good use of this!!!but they did nothing!!!
And had nothing to offer, the only connection they offered was on delta via jfk was also canceled.
EL AL did not offer any connection from European hubs they fly to l, and even if I wanted to make it on my own the timetables mostly mismatched.
it seems they are all excited counting the cash and all the focus is on lame duck destinations with zero connectivity options and competing over there with loads of low cost national and intl carriers which to their luck are not flying all yet, but what about the second the other airlines especially lufthansa group come back? they will now find themselves figuring out how to survive competition with low costs like “ARKIA”. now not only on the low cost destinations but also at JFK. Good luck.
Fly Airlines that keep Shabbos not ones that are michalel Shabbos bifarhesya
LY operates cargo and repositioning flights on Saturday, and their fully owned subsidiary Sundor operates charters on Saturday using LY’s certificate…
There is a saying in Hebrew:
“ארקיע ולא תגיאה”
Perhaps we’d take your Hebrew sayings more seriously if you could spell תגיע.
*תגיע*
what the best place to credit these miles to?
I don’t think there’s a worse airline when it comes to customer service. Unless you haven’t had any experience with flying them (or trying to fly them) @dan do you not have an opinion on how they run their operation?
I haven’t flown on Arkia, but feel free to post your experience.
I flew them. They made me miss spirit.
Please note, hey have strict weight , and any overage is $10 a lb. checked their site, a 20 kg suitcase is max. leave all else at home not worth extra cost. safe travel!