GURUGRAM- Air India (AI) plans to resume 5 weekly flights from Delhi (DEL) to Tel Aviv (TLV) on December 1, 2026. The proposed service would provide a direct India-Israel connection with a flight time of about five and a half hours.
The restart remains uncertain because Air India has repeatedly suspended Israel services since the war began in October 2023. Previous resumptions were followed by fresh disruptions after regional hostilities escalated.
Air India Sets December 1 for Israel Flight Resumption
Air India has announced plans to renew its Israel service from December 1, 2026, with 5 weekly flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv.
The route would restore a nonstop connection between the two cities. At around five and a half hours, the service would offer a direct travel option between India and Israel without a connecting flight.
The December date follows an earlier plan to restart flights on October 1, 2026. Air India postponed that resumption last month, creating further uncertainty over when regular services would return.
Air India has barely operated flights to Israel since the war started in October 2023. The airline has announced several resumptions during this period, but services were repeatedly halted when hostilities intensified.
In March 2025, Air India resumed flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv. The service was suspended again in early May after a Houthi missile struck the grounds of Ben Gurion Airport.
The airline later resumed flights in February 2026. Those services were halted again at the end of February after the war with Iran began.
The repeated cycle of resumption and suspension has kept the future of the route uncertain despite Air India’s latest December announcement.
December Schedule Remains Subject to Conditions
The planned December 1 restart does not guarantee that flights will operate as scheduled. Air India’s previous service interruptions show that changes can occur when security conditions affect operations.
The postponement of the October 1 restart is the most recent example. The airline had previously announced that date before delaying the return of the route. Globes reported on Air India’s latest plan to renew flights between India and Israel.
Delhi-Tel Aviv Route Could Restore Direct Connectivity
If the service resumes in December, Air India’s Delhi-Tel Aviv operation would be the only direct flight connection between India and Israel.
The planned five-weekly schedule would re-establish regular nonstop service on the route. The five and a half hour flight would connect Delhi directly with Tel Aviv, giving the two cities an air link without an intermediate stop.
The service would remain dependent on whether flights can continue operating without further interruptions.
Air India’s Israel Service
Air India’s Israel operations have followed a series of resumptions and suspensions since October 2023.
The airline resumed flights in March 2025, before suspending them in early May 2025 after the Houthi missile strike on the grounds of Ben Gurion Airport.
Flights resumed again in February 2026, but the service was suspended by the end of February 2026 after the war with Iran began.
Air India then scheduled another restart for October 1, 2026, but postponed that date. The latest plan now targets December 1, 2026.
What Latest Announcement Means
The latest plan places five weekly Delhi-Tel Aviv flights on Air India’s schedule from December 1. However, the airline’s recent operating history means the actual return of services remains the central uncertainty.
If flights do resume and continue as planned, Air India will provide the only direct air service between India and Israel, with a journey time of approximately five and a half hours.
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