American Airlines Stops Philly to Israel Flights

The route has lost millions in its six-year run.

(Arpingstone/Wikimedia Commons)

(Arpingstone/Wikimedia Commons)

American Airlines has eliminated its non-stop flights from the Philadelphia International Airport to Tel Aviv, Israel.

It was “strictly a financial decision,” and the “the route has not been profitable,” an American Airlines spokesperson told Bloomberg.

The Philly-to-Israel flights began in 2009 under US Airways, which merged with American in late 2013. American lost $20 million on the route, Bloomberg said.
There was plenty of competition, with nonstop flights from New York and Newark so close by. The Philadelphia-to-Israel service will end January 4.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that American “notified city and business leaders, and representatives of groups including the Consulate General of Israel in Philadelphia and the Philadelphia-Israeli Chamber of Commerce.”

Rhett Workman, the managing director of government and airport affairs for American told the Inquirer that the flights were full, but margins were low. He also said the airline “kept the route in the market longer than we have other routes” because of “all the significant business and community links associated with it.”