Here’s How US Airlines Managed Israel Flight Scheduling For Yom Kippur This Year

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Update: In the end, American cancelled their AA145 service after Yom Kippur from Tel Aviv to JFK at 12:50am. They replaced it with AA9600, scheduled to depart Tel Aviv at 7:15pm. That left United and El Al as the only airlines flying from Tel Aviv to NYC after Yom Kippur.

In past years, airlines have tried various solutions to work around the only day of the year that Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport closes, on Yom Kippur.

For example United has flown 3 flights on Yom Kippur day from Newark to Tel Aviv, including a special segment as United flight 10 departing Newark at 4am as a rare non-redeye to Israel, so that they can fly from Tel Aviv to Newark without leaving any unutilized aircraft in Tel Aviv over Yom Kippur.

In 2020, United was the only carrier to fly to Tel Aviv without interruption over COVID. They merged their 2 daily Newark to Tel Aviv flights into 1, though that meant there was no late night flight for observant Jews to fly to Israel after Yom Kippur. The airline changed that schedule after being contacted by a DansDeals reader and the story was picked up by the Wall Street Journal.

Here’s what US airlines are doing this year between NYC and Tel Aviv:

• American: Normally flies Tel Aviv to JFK as AA145 departing at 12:50am and arriving at 6am the same day. Normally flies JFK to Tel Aviv as AA146 departing at 11:18pm and arriving at 5pm the next day.
  • Monday: Flew JFK to Tel Aviv as AA248 departing at 2:59pm and arriving at 8:45am the next day.
  • Tuesday: Flew Tel Aviv to JFK as AA145 departing at 12:50am and arriving at 6am the same day. No flight from JFK to Tel Aviv so that no plane is sitting in Tel Aviv over Yom Kippur.
  • Wednesday: No flight from Tel Aviv to JFK. Will fly a rare non-redeye from JFK to Tel Aviv as AA148 departing at 5:14am and arriving at 10:50pm in order to have a plane to fly from Tel Aviv to JFK after Yom Kippur.
  • Thursday: Will fly Tel Aviv to JFK as AA145 departing at 12:50am and arriving at 6am the same day. Will fly JFK to Tel Aviv as AA248 departing at 2:55pm and arriving at 8:45am the next day.

An empty rear business class cabin on AA148 tomorrow:

• Delta: Normally flies Tel Aviv to JFK as DL235 departing at 11:55pm and arriving at 5am the next day. Normally flies JFK to Tel Aviv as DL234 departing at 11:50pm and arriving at 5:35pm the next day.
  • Monday: No flight from JFK to Tel Aviv so that no plane is sitting in Tel Aviv over Yom Kippur.
  • Tuesday: No flight from Tel Aviv to JFK or JFK to Tel Aviv so that no plane is sitting in Tel Aviv over Yom Kippur.
  • Wednesday: No flight from Tel Aviv to JFK. Will fly from JFK to Tel Aviv as DL234 departing at 11:50pm and arriving at 5:35pm the next day.
  • Thursday: Will fly Tel Aviv to JFK as DL235 departing at 11:55pm and arriving at 5am the next day. Will fly from JFK to Tel Aviv as DL234 departing at 11:50pm and arriving at 5:35pm the next day.

• United:  Normally flies Tel Aviv to Newark as UA85 and UA91 departing at 12pm and 11:25pm and arriving at 4:55pm the same day and 4:20am the next day. Normally flies Newark to Tel Aviv as UA84 and UA90 departing at 4:35pm and 11:05pm and arriving at 9:55am and 4:20pm the next day.
  • Monday: Flew Newark to Tel Aviv as UA84 departing at 4:35pm and arriving at 9:55am the next day and flew as UA90 departing at 7:15pm and arriving at 12:35pm the next day to allow for an early arrival before Yom Kippur and for the plane to sit in Tel Aviv over Yom Kippur.
  • Tuesday: Flew as UA85 from Tel Aviv to Newark at 12pm arriving at 4:55pm the same day. No flight from Newark to Tel Aviv.
  • Wednesday: Will fly as UA91 from Tel Aviv to Newark at 11:30pm arriving at 4:25am the next day. Will fly Newark to Tel Aviv as UA departing at 4:35pm and arriving at 9:55am the next day and as UA90 departing at 11:05pm and arriving at 4:20pm the next day.
  • Thursday: Regular schedule for UA84, 85, 90, and 91.

In summary:

• American changed around their entire schedule to operate as many flights as possible without leaving a plane in Israel over Yom Kippur.
• Delta removed most of their schedule to avoid leaving a plane in Israel over Yom Kippur, but they don’t offer any service to Israel before Yom Kippur or from Israel after Yom Kippur.
• United operated most of their schedule as usual other than not operating on Yom Kippur, and will leave a plane in Israel over Yom Kippur in order to fly to Israel before Yom Kippur and to fly from Israel after Yom Kippur.

Are you flying to or from Israel this week? Which airline do you think did it best?

HT: chff