Delta and EL AL Sign Deal To Launch Codeshare Agreement

Updated: June 29, 2023, 11:14am CDT

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Delta, EL AL Flyers To Receive Reciprocal Benefits
Increasing Connectivity Between the U.S. and Israel
Final Thoughts

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Some big news in the travel industry today: Delta Air Lines and EL AL Israel Airlines have announced plans for a strategic partnership.

Let’s dive right in!

Delta, EL AL Flyers To Receive Reciprocal Benefits

Delta Air Lines and EL AL, Israel’s flag carrier, announced on June 29, 2023, that they signed an agreement to launch a “strategic partnership” that will offer more connections and benefits for travelers flying between the United States and Israel.

Delta says that passengers on either airline will be able to check in for their entire trip, and their bags will be checked through to their final destination. Passengers will also receive reciprocal codeshare and frequent flyer benefits, which include the ability to earn and redeem miles across both airlines.

A Delta plane taxiing at JFK Airport — Image Credit: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

“Working closely with EL AL will further strengthen Delta’s connection to Israel by offering more customers unrivaled access to destinations across the U.S.,” said Matteo Curcio, Delta’s Senior Vice President for Europe, Middle East, Africa, and India.

EL AL also pointed to how valuable a partnership with Delta is, calling the move “another important milestone in our long-term strategy.”

The 2 airlines are expected to codeshare on each other’s flights, but a timeline for this hasn’t yet been specified.

Increasing Connectivity Between the U.S. and Israel

This partnership should open up more opportunities for people across the United States to get to Israel.

Delta says it offers 200 same-day connections from Tel Aviv (TLV) through several of its U.S. hubs, such as Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), and New York (JFK). EL AL flies nonstop between Tel Aviv and Boston, Miami (MIA), and New York.

This has been a busy few months for EL AL, which relocated its U.S. headquarters from New York to South Florida, about 15 miles northwest of Fort Lauderdale.

And earlier this year, the airline announced that it would begin nonstop flights between Tel Aviv and Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and increase service on its existing Miami route. Initially, the airline will offer limited service to accommodate the increase in travel to Israel surrounding the Jewish High Holidays — Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur — that occur in the fall. Then, beginning in 2024, EL AL will start year-round service between Tel Aviv and Fort Lauderdale.

Hot Tip:

You’ll want to learn all about EL AL’s baggage policy, especially if you’re flying the airline for the first time.

But, these aren’t the only airlines that fly between the U.S. and Israel. United Airlines serves Tel Aviv from several of its hubs, including Chicago (ORD), Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO), and Washington, D.C. (IAD), and American Airlines flies between New York (JFK) and Tel Aviv.

Final Thoughts

This is certainly welcome news for Delta and EL AL passengers, who, at some point, will be able to enjoy reciprocal benefits across both airlines. While we don’t know many details yet — including when the partnership will begin — this should mean good things for flying to and from Israel in the near future.