New York Tel Aviv
El Al is the only carrier that flies to Ben Gurion from both Kennedy and Newark. Delta fills the JFK side, United covers Newark. Both airports have daily nonstops, so your departure point comes down to where you live. If you are in New Jersey or commute through Penn Station, fly out of Newark. East of Manhattan, take Kennedy.
In economy, book whichever airline is cheapest on your dates. All three fly widebodies and the flight is about ten hours. Delta uses an A330-900neo from Kennedy. United puts a 787-10 on the Newark route. El Al rotates between 777s and 787s from both airports. You will be fine on any of them.
For a lie-flat seat, Delta One and United Polaris are your options from each airport. Compare prices on your dates. El Al has business class from both JFK and Newark, but the seat on their 777-200 is a generation behind.
If you book El Al, arrive at the airport three hours before departure, not two. El Al runs its own pre-departure security interview before you reach the gate, separate from TSA, and it takes longer than you expect. First-time El Al passengers who show up on a normal international schedule end up rushing.
El Al's fleet is mixed on this route, and in economy that matters. Their 787-9 has a newer cabin than the 777-200, which has been on this route for years. If you are booking El Al and have any flexibility on departure time, check which aircraft is on each flight. Ten hours in the older coach seat and you will feel the difference.
Ben Gurion has a train platform inside the terminal. A train to central Tel Aviv takes about twenty minutes. Jerusalem is further inland, about an hour by bus or shared van from the airport.
Have a specific need? Use the decision guide below to filter by your airline, where you live, lounges, or where you're staying in Tel Aviv.
Pick What Matters to You
Best pair by where you're coming from
Best pair by where you're staying in Tel Aviv
Which pair your airline flies nonstop
| Airline | JFK–TLV | EWR–TLV |
|---|---|---|
| El Al | — | ✓ |
| arkia | ✓ | — |
| United Airlines | — | ✓ |
Ranked by on-time performance
Lounge access by airport and terminal
Ranked by flights per week
Getting to the airport
Red-eye vs daytime departures
Premium cabin options
Connecting through New York from a domestic flight
Nonstop flights from JFK and Newark run daily on multiple carriers, so connecting through Europe rarely saves enough to justify the extra time from New York. Adding a stop in Istanbul, London, or Frankfurt tacks on 5 to 10 hours on a route where nonstop competition already keeps fares in check.
Connections make more sense if you are starting from a smaller US city without nonstop Tel Aviv service. A one-ticket routing through a European hub might beat positioning to New York on a separate fare. From New York itself, book the nonstop.
New York & Tel Aviv Airport Profiles
Each airport has a personality. Terminal quality, transit access, lounge scene, and crowd levels vary dramatically — sometimes more than the flight itself.
New York Metro
JFK spreads across four active passenger terminals connected by the AirTrain, and walking between them is not an option. Terminal 1 is the old international building. Terminal 4 is the largest, handling most international carriers. Terminal 5 is the former TWA terminal, now JetBlue's home, with the mid-century curves still intact. Terminal 8 belongs to American and British Airways.
The terminal you depart from depends entirely on your airline. Security wait times vary between them. Terminal 4 tends to be the slowest during evening international departures. Terminal 8 has improved since the co-location of its two main carriers. The TWA Hotel sits adjacent to Terminal 5 if you need to sleep before an early departure or after a late arrival.
JFK feels enormous because it is. Budget extra time for the AirTrain if you are connecting between terminals or arriving by subway. The AirTrain loop takes 10 to 15 minutes end to end.
Newark Liberty has three terminals, and Terminal A opened as a full rebuild in 2023. The old Terminal A was demolished and replaced, and the difference is dramatic. Terminal C is United's hub, massive and busy, with most international flights departing from here. Terminal B handles most other carriers.
The AirTrain connects all three terminals and the NJ Transit / Amtrak rail station. Unlike JFK, the terminals are closer together and the AirTrain loop is faster. Security at Terminal C can back up during afternoon and evening international departures.
The airport sits in New Jersey, around 10 miles from Manhattan. That proximity is deceptive because the drive crosses the Hudson via the Newark Bay or Lincoln Tunnel, and both can be brutal during peak hours. NJ Transit from Penn Station is the more reliable option.
Tel Aviv Metro
Ben Gurion has one main international terminal, Terminal 3, which handles nearly all scheduled flights. The building is modern with high ceilings and natural light. Walking distances inside are short. The duty-free shopping area after security is large and well stocked.
Departure security at Ben Gurion is unlike any other major airport. Screening begins before you enter the terminal building. Every passenger goes through questioning, bag inspection, and additional checks. The process is thorough, professional, and time-consuming. Three hours before departure is the minimum, not a suggestion.
Arrivals move faster. Passport control has automated gates for many nationalities, and baggage delivery is quick. The train station sits on the lower level inside the terminal.
Which Airlines Fly Which Pairs
Not all planes are the same size. The aircraft type below each checkmark tells you whether you are getting a widebody (777, 787, A350) with wider seats and a quieter ride, or a narrowbody (737, A321) with a single aisle. On flights over five hours, the difference is significant.
777, 787-9
A330-200
787-8