Arkia Flies New York-Tel Aviv, ITA Joins Lufthansa Group, and Other Airline News From This Week

From the Americas to Europe to Mongolia, here are the most notable airline stories from this week that we did not cover in individual articles.

A New Airline Between New York and Tel Aviv: Arkia

Israeli carrier Arkia is starting flights on the popular route between New York-Kennedy (JFK) and Tel Aviv, Israel (TLV). The only other airline serving the route is Israel’s El Al, while U.S. airlines have suspended service to the country due to the ongoing conflict.

Dans Deals reported that Arkia, Israel’s second-largest airline, will operate the route between February 8 and May 8, 2025. Since Arkia doesn’t have planes that can fly the route nonstop, it’s leasing an Airbus A330-900 from European airline Iberojet.

Flights in February start at $599 each way, March and May flights at $799, and April flights at $899, with no surcharge for booking a one-way. The plane is configured with 388 seats in economy class only, in a 2-4-2 layout and 30 to 31 inches of legroom.

Some European airlines — Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, and Wizz Air— are restarting their flights to Tel Aviv this month and in February, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was announced. U.S. carriers haven’t said yet when they will resume serving the country.

It’s Official: ITA Airways Is in the Lufthansa Group

The biggest airline group in Europe just got bigger. On Friday, ITA Airways became officially the fifth network carrier in the Lufthansa Group besides Lufthansa, Swiss Air Lines, Brussels Airlines, and Austrian Airlines.

Lufthansa confirmed in a statement that it had bought 41% of the Italian airline, which took over from bankrupt Alitalia in 2021, for 325 million euros. The remaining 59% is still held by the Italian government. However, Germany-based Lufthansa has an option to acquire the remaining shares this year.

ITA Airways will also leave the SkyTeam alliance, but it’s not yet known when it will enter the rival Star Alliance, where it would join United Airlines and other Lufthansa Group carriers. Lufthansa said that “in a few weeks” ITA Airways flyers will be able to collect points or miles either in ITA Airways’ existing Volare program or Miles & More, the Lufthansa Group’s loyalty program. Miles & More members will be able to earn and redeem miles on ITA Airways flights, too.

The important aspect of mutual lounge admission will also be defined later, the statement said.

ITA Airways flies between Rome’s Fiumicino airport (FCO) and 7 destinations in the U.S., and it may add more as it receives new airplanes.

Lufthansa and Condor Drama May Benefit Flyers

While expanding to the south, Lufthansa is locked in a legal battle at home with competitor Condor.

Last week, Condor announced it was reducing flights to the U.S. because a German court had ruled Lufthansa was no longer required to provide feeder flights for Condor’s long-haul services from Frankfurt (FRA). Since Condor doesn’t have a big European network, it depended on its rival to provide connecting traffic — doing so at favorable prices. Lufthansa was required to do this to support competition and was fighting the ruling in court.

Then, on January 15, a decision by the European Commission turned the tables in favor of Condor. The executive arm of the European Union — which, among other things, protects competition — decided that Lufthansa should reinstate Condor’s access to its short-haul network, Reuters reported. This interim decision is part of an investigation by the Commission into whether the joint venture between Lufthansa, United, and Air Canada restricts competition on flights between Frankfurt and New York.

As the investigation continues, Condor may come into more good news. The airline has many flights to U.S. destinations and a competitive business class that can be booked with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles.

We don’t know yet if Condor will reinstate some or all of the U.S. services it said it would end, including flights from Frankfurt to San Antonio (SAT), Phoenix (PHX), Baltimore-Washington (BWI), and Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP). Meanwhile, Condor still offers many flights from U.S. airports, including New York-Kennedy (JFK) and Miami (MIA).

In March, Condor will also begin flights from the Frankfurt hub to several short-haul destinations all over Europe, which could offer interesting connections for U.S. travelers flying Condor across the Atlantic. Those destinations include Rome (FCO), Milan (MXP), Paris (CDG), Prague (PRG), Vienna (VIE), Zurich (ZRH), Berlin (BER), Hamburg (HAM) and Munich (MUC). The Rome flight will continue to Palermo (PMO) in Sicily. 

Trouble May Be Ahead for JSX

The Transportation Security Administration is making changes to the screening rules that apply to so-called “by-the-seat charter” airlines, such as JSX. This means that passengers who fly on JSX may face more screening and longer check-in times. It may even mean that some airports will not longer be able to host JSX flights.

JSX flights operate essentially like a private jet but with fares sold through an airline-like website (and even through United Airlines). Passengers depart from the smaller terminals used by private jets, not the huge, crowded passenger terminals. They can arrive just 20 minutes before a flight, and security is much less time-consuming. They then board a small jet with around 30 to 40 seats and disembark equally fast.

Private Jet Card Comparisons, which reported about the TSA email announcing the decision to operators, said the new TSA requirements will make it more difficult — and in some cases even impossible — for some airports to find the physical space and the staff required by the new screening procedures.

According to the site, the new security procedures begin in 6 months. It’s currently unknown if that timeline will hold when a new administration takes office in Washington on January 20. It’s also unknown when JSX and similar operators will adjust operations accordingly.

A New Airport Is Coming to Dallas

A third airport serving the Dallas metro area will likely open in 2026.

The city of McKinney, Texas, has approved a plan to expand the McKinney airport (TKI), which currently handles only private flights. The 2 existing airports in the metro area — Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) and Love Field (DAL) — won’t be enough for the projected growth in commercial passengers.

According to ATX Jetsetter, building a new terminal and facilities will cost $72 million. Construction is expected to begin in May, and commercial flights at TKI could begin in late 2026. McKinney is in Collin County, like 2 other fast-growing Dallas suburbs, Plano and Frisco. The airport is about 30 miles from downtown Dallas.

U.S. Government Sues Southwest, Fines Frontier for Delays

The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was suing Southwest Airlines and fining Frontier Airlines for “illegally operating multiple chronically delayed flights and disrupting passengers’ travel.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who is leaving office on January 20 as the administration changes, said this “sends a message to all airlines that the Department is prepared to go to court in order to enforce passenger protections.”

According to the lawsuit, Southwest operated 2 chronically delayed flights, 1 between Chicago Midway (MDW) and Oakland (OAK) and another between Baltimore (BWI) and Cleveland (CLE). Each flight was chronically delayed for 5 straight months in 2022.

Frontier was fined $650,000 for operating “multiple chronically delayed flights.”

An Unusual Flight: LaGuardia to Calgary

WestJet announced a new seasonal flight between Calgary (YYC) and New York LaGuardia (LGA), adding to its year-round service to New York-JFK. What makes this flight interesting is that such long flights from LGA are very rare.

LaGuardia is limited to flights under 1,500 miles, except flights to Denver and those operated on Saturdays. At 2,032 miles, the new WestJet flight — every Saturday from May 24 to August 30 — covers 2,032 miles. Only the seasonal American Airlines flight from LGA to Kalispell, Montana (FCA) is longer.

Brazilian Giant Airline on the Horizon

Brazilian airlines Azul and Gol signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding leading to a possible merger, which would create the biggest airline by far in the biggest economy in South America.

Reuters reported that a deal is still a long way off, but if it happened it would create an airline with about 60% of the domestic market. A combined Azul and Gol would vault ahead of current leader LATAM Brasil, the Brazilian unit of Chile-based LATAM, which has about 38% of passenger traffic.

Both Azul and Gol fly to the U.S. from several airports in Brazil.

Booking Open for United Flights to Mongolia

One of the routes that United Airlines announced as part of its biggest international expansion ever is now on sale.

The thrice-weekly flight from Tokyo-Narita (NRT) to Mongolian capital Ulaanbataar (UBN) is now bookable on the United site.

The flight will run from May 1 to October 12, 2025, using a Boeing 737-800 with 16 seats in business class and 150 in economy. That’s a standard 737 like United uses on U.S. domestic routes, with first class sold as business.

Prices for an 8-day round-trip in July were $739 in economy and $1,274 in business; award seats were not available when we checked United’s site. This flight, however, is likely to be booked as part of an itinerary from the U.S. for many travelers.

Riyadh Air Delays Launch

New Saudi airline Riyadh Air, started and owned by the government as an addition to current flag carrier Saudia, won’t begin flying by the middle of this year as originally planned. Delays in the delivery of Boeing 787s mean that the first Riyadh Air flight won’t happen until later in 2025, Emirates-based The National reported.

The new airline, which will be based in the Saudi capital Riyadh (RUH), has a partnership deal with Delta Air Lines.

Final Thoughts

This past week’s news points to exciting developments ahead for travelers and points and miles collectors.

With ITA Airways joining the Lufthansa Group, Italy’s flag carrier joins a points ecosystem where you can collect and spend United Airlines miles. An airline merger in Brazil may produce a giant carrier serving the U.S., and a new airport is set to open in Dallas.

But there’s a negative development, too, for people loyal to JSX, a small carrier that offers an experience similar to a private jet: A new TSA rule may mean that JSX will have longer check-in times and additional security.