After an 18-month pause, British Airways has resumed its direct passenger flights between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv, reconnecting the UK and Israel at a time when travel demand is steadily rising.
The inaugural flight landed in Tel Aviv (TLV) on April 5, marking the airline’s return to the route it suspended in September 2023 due to heightened security concerns in the region. For now, the carrier will operate one daily service, with plans to expand to two daily flights starting April 20, 2025.
The return of British Airways comes as a relief to many travelers, following a long period in which international flight options to and from Israel were severely limited. During the suspension, foreign airlines significantly reduced operations, and Israeli carriers struggled to keep up with demand, pushing ticket prices higher and limiting availability.
While British Airways has rejoined the skies over Israel, not all of its competitors have followed suit. For example, Virgin Atlantic, which had previously operated up to 14 flights per week on the London (-Tel Aviv route, has not yet resumed service. The airline had earlier announced intentions to restart flights in September 2024, but those plans have not come to reality.
British Airways is not alone in its return. Several international airlines have recently re-entered the Israeli market. United Airlines restarted its flights to Tel Aviv on March 16, and Delta Air Lines followed closely behind with its own resumption on April 1, 2025.
