Israel is set to open its borders to vaccinated and recovered tourists from 14 destinations starting May 23, while Delta Air Lines and United Airlines increase service.
Israel has announced that vaccinated and recovered tourists from the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Iceland, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong will be able to enter the country. Tourists will be required to take a PCR coronavirus test before boarding a plane to Israel, and upon arrival will be required to take both a PCR test and a serological test, which proves the existence of antibodies.
The move follows the announcement of a four-part tourism plan by the country’s Tourism Minister Orit Farkash-Hacohen. The tourism plan includes a global advertising campaign, flight incentives to Eilat, and the reintroduction of large international events.
“We want to breathe oxygen back into the tourism economy of Israel, and Israel has the advantage as a healthy, vaccinated country,” said Farkash-Hacohen, at a press conference in Tel Aviv.
Israel’s number of COVID-19 cases has plummeted following its successful vaccination campaign, which has seen more than 5 million of its 9 million citizens fully vaccinated.
Delta Air Lines has increased its number of flights from New York to Israel up to three per day, due to a rise in demand for the destination. The airline’s third daily flight will start Sep. 2, 2021, ahead of the busy High Holy Day season. The nonstop flights will be from JFK International Airport in New York to Ben-Gurion Airport in Israel, on Delta’s newest aircraft, the Airbus A330-900neo. The announcement follows Delta having already increased the frequency of its New York to Israel service from 10 flights to 14 flights, which will commence Jun. 1, 2021.
United Airlines is also adding more flights between the U.S. and Israel this summer. The airline will increase its service from Tel Aviv to New York/Newark from 10 to 12 weekly flights in May, and then to 14 weekly flights from Jun. 2, 2021. May will also see three weekly nonstop flights from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport to Ben-Gurion Airport resume, as well as three weekly flights between Tel Aviv and San Francisco from Jun. 4, 2021.
For more information, visit israel.travel.
