Tel Aviv flights partially resume as Azerbaijan Airlines, TAROM, SkyUp add new routes
Azerbaijan Airlines, TAROM, and SkyUp resumed Tel Aviv flights starting Sunday, May 4, 2026, adding Baku, Bucharest, and Chisinau as new routing options into Ben Gurion Airport. Wizz Air pushed its return to May 19 after EASA extended its Middle East airspace warning to May 5 — the carrier needs a two-week logistical window from the moment that warning lifts. Lufthansa Group extended cancellations through June 2026, while United Airlines and Air Canada remain grounded until at least September 7.
European travelers now have immediate alternatives; North American travelers still have almost no options outside El Al. The May 5 EASA decision is the next critical date — everything downstream depends on it.
A wave of smaller carriers broke through the Tel Aviv travel freeze this weekend, offering partial relief to travelers who have been navigating a fractured schedule since the Iran conflict grounded most international service to Israel earlier this year. Azerbaijan Airlines is resuming 14 weekly Baku–Tel Aviv flights starting Sunday, May 4. TAROM quietly restored its Bucharest–Tel Aviv route overnight Saturday to Sunday, May 2–3. SkyUp, the Ukrainian low-cost carrier, is back on Chisinau. Centrum Air is operating to Samarkand and Tashkent.
For European travelers, these resumptions open real alternatives — particularly via Bucharest and Baku — that bypass the Lufthansa Group blackout now running through June 30. For North American travelers, the picture is unchanged and bleak: United Airlines and Air Canada are reported to remain suspended until at least September 7, 2026, and American Airlines has extended its own Tel Aviv suspension indefinitely, leaving El Al as the only direct option from the US and Canada.
The broader recovery is real but uneven, and the next 48 hours will determine how much of May actually opens up.
Who is flying, who is not, and when the gaps close
Hainan Airlines is next in line, scheduled to resume Beijing–Tel Aviv service on May 12. Smartwings follows on May 20, and FlyOne on May 22. Wizz Air — one of the highest-frequency European operators pre-war — postponed its return from April 25 to May 19 after EASA extended its Middle East airspace warning to May 5. The carrier requires approximately two weeks of logistical preparation once that warning is lifted, which is how the May 19 date was calculated. If EASA extends the warning again on May 5, that math changes immediately.
Air France is canceling through May 10. Lufthansa Group — covering Swiss, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines — extended cancellations through June 30, though the group indicated some flights could resume at the start of June pending a security assessment. British Airways is also out through June 30. These are not soft holds — they are confirmed cancellations with rebooking obligations attached.
| Airline | Status | Cancellations through | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azerbaijan Airlines | Resumed May 4 | — | 14 weekly Baku–Tel Aviv flights |
| TAROM | Resumed May 2–3 | — | Bucharest–Tel Aviv route restored |
| SkyUp | Resumed May 4 | — | Chisinau route; Ukrainian LCC |
| Air France | Suspended | May 10, 2026 | Resumption expected May 11 |
| Hainan Airlines | Suspended | May 11, 2026 | Beijing–Tel Aviv resumes May 12 |
| Wizz Air | Suspended | May 19, 2026 | EASA warning + 2-week prep window |
| Lufthansa Group (Swiss/Austrian/Brussels) | Suspended | June 30, 2026 | Possible partial return early June |
| United Airlines / Air Canada | Suspended | September 7, 2026 | No earlier resumption announced |
Why this recovery mirrors 2014 — and why that matters for fares
This is not the first time foreign carriers have staged a phased withdrawal and return from Tel Aviv. During the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict, El Al operated throughout while British Airways, Lufthansa, and Air France suspended for three to six weeks. United Airlines and Air Canada were out for roughly two weeks that July. The resumption sequence was identical to what we’re seeing now: smaller regional carriers and low-cost operators returned first, full-service carriers followed with reduced frequencies.
The 2026 suspension is running longer — February through May at minimum, versus three weeks in 2014 — reflecting the broader scope of the Iran conflict. But the pattern holds. Carriers with lower risk thresholds (regional LCCs, carriers from adjacent markets) move first. The Lufthansa Groups and British Airways of the world wait for formal security clearance, which takes longer and costs them market share in the interim.
That market share is going somewhere. El Al now serves 40 destinations, Etihad is running two daily Abu Dhabi–Tel Aviv flights (down from five pre-war, but operational), and Turkish Airlines has not confirmed a May resumption date. Every week the major European carriers stay out, El Al and the regional operators lock in more loyalty — and fares on those routes stay elevated.
Steps to take before May 5
The EASA decision on May 5 will reset the timeline for multiple carriers simultaneously — acting before that announcement gives you more rebooking options and better fare availability.
- Wizz Air booking for May 3–18: Do not wait for Wizz Air to contact you. Log into your booking at wizzair.com or call +36 1 471 9499 now. Rebook onto May 19+ Wizz Air flights or switch to an alternative carrier. If EASA extends the warning on May 5, Wizz Air’s May 19 date moves — and your options narrow.
- Lufthansa Group booking (Swiss/Austrian/Brussels) for May–June: These are confirmed cancellations, not holds. Contact the airline’s rebooking line or official website immediately. Request rebooking on El Al, TAROM (tarom.ro), or Etihad (etihad.com) at the same fare class, or claim a full refund under EU261/2004 — extraordinary circumstances apply, but rebooking rights are unconditional.
- US/CA travelers planning May–September travel: El Al from JFK, Newark, Miami, LAX, and Boston (new service from April 19) is the only direct option. Current airline status for Israel routes is being updated regularly — check before booking any connection through a European hub carrier.
- Planning new May travel from Europe: Book TAROM via Bucharest, Azerbaijan Airlines via Baku, or El Al via a European hub. Avoid Wizz Air and Lufthansa Group until at least May 20. Air France is the earliest major carrier expected back, from May 11.
- EU/UK travelers with canceled flights: Under EU261/2004, you are entitled to rebooking on the next available flight or a full refund. Compensation of €250–€600 (distance-based) may apply — file directly with the airline. EASA airspace warnings qualify as extraordinary circumstances, which affects compensation eligibility but not your rebooking or refund rights.
Watch: The EASA May 5 decision is the single most consequential near-term signal — if the warning is lifted, Wizz Air’s May 19 return becomes the floor, not the ceiling, and fare competition will follow quickly.
Does EU261 compensation apply if my flight to Tel Aviv was canceled due to the EASA airspace warning?
EU261/2004 entitles you to rebooking on the next available flight or a full refund regardless of the cancellation reason. Compensation of €250–€600 is separate and may be reduced or denied if the airline successfully argues extraordinary circumstances — EASA airspace warnings typically qualify. Your rebooking and refund rights are unconditional; compensation is the contested part. File directly with the airline first, then escalate to your national aviation authority if denied.
If I book TAROM or Azerbaijan Airlines to Tel Aviv now, am I exposed to further cancellations?
Both carriers resumed service this weekend without an EASA restriction — they operate outside the EU261 framework’s extraordinary-circumstances carve-out for this specific warning. That said, any escalation in regional security could trigger new suspensions. TAROM is a Romanian carrier and subject to EASA guidance; Azerbaijan Airlines operates under ICAO standards but is not an EU carrier. Neither offers the same consumer protection as an EU-based airline, so check cancellation terms before booking.
What is the earliest a North American traveler can expect direct service to Tel Aviv beyond El Al?
United Airlines and Air Canada are reported suspended until at least September 7, 2026. American Airlines has extended its suspension indefinitely with no confirmed restart date. El Al remains the only carrier operating direct flights from New York, Newark, Miami, Los Angeles, and Boston. Connecting via a European hub on TAROM or Etihad via Abu Dhabi are the practical alternatives until North American carriers reassess in late summer.
What happens to Wizz Air’s May 19 return date if EASA extends the warning beyond May 5?
Wizz Air’s May 19 date is calculated as two weeks from a May 5 EASA clearance. If EASA extends the warning — even by a week — Wizz Air’s return date shifts by the same margin plus the two-week preparation window. A one-week EASA extension to May 12 would push Wizz Air’s earliest return to approximately May 26. Passengers with May bookings should monitor the May 5 EASA announcement and contact Wizz Air within 24 hours of any extension announcement.
