United Airlines will launch the first-ever service (on a U.S. carrier) from Washington Dulles (IAD) to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) beginning May 22, 2019. The launch coincides with United’s 20th anniversary of serving Israel, when combined with Continental Airlines.
United’s fourth daily flight to Tel Aviv
United currently flies twice daily from Newark (EWR) to Tel Aviv (TLV) and daily from San Francisco (SFO) to Tel Aviv (TLV). The new IAD – TLV route is United’s fourth daily flight to Israel, more than any other U.S. carrier. Delta is the only U.S. carrier to serve Israel after American dropped its Philadelphia (PHL) to Tel Aviv (TLV) route in 2016.
Delta flies once daily from New York Kennedy (JFK) to Tel Aviv (TLV) on an Airbus A330. United flies twice daily from neighboring Newark (EWR) on a Boeing 777-200ER and Boeing 777-300ER. The 10:50 pm departure features United’s ‘real’ Polaris seats and cabin, while the earlier departure is an ex-Continental 777 with 2 x 2 x 2 seating.
5,131 nm flight from Washington Dulles (IAD) to Tel Aviv (TLV). Image by Great Circle Mapper.
Boeing 777-200ER service
United will operate three flights per week – Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday – on the Boeing 777-200ER. The flight departs Washington Dulles (IAD) at 10:30 pm and arrives the following afternoon.
United’s schedule indicates a three-class Boeing 777-200ER with the dreaded 2 x 4 x 2 configuration will fly the new route. That said, United will hopefully have that variant reconfigured by the time the route launches with the staggered configuration below:
New Polaris-configured United Boeing 777-200ER aircraft. Image by United.
I could also see United rotating a two-class ex-Continental 777-200ER on a ‘W pattern’ from Newark (EWR). The Newark-based 772s have better range performance and are used on longer routes like Newark (EWR) to Hong Kong (HKG). That version offers a 2 x 2 x 2 seating in business class. Either way, I’d be shocked if United actually sticks the 2 x 4 x 2 planes on the new Tel Aviv route.
Award seats available on the Tel Aviv route
The new Tel Aviv flight is already bookable via United and award seats are available on the inaugural flight for 42.5K miles in economy (saver award).
United MileagePlus award seats from Washington Dulles (IAD) to Tel Aviv (TLV).
United’s Dulles hub receives service to the Middle East – again
United previously operated two flights from Dulles – each with a tag-on flight – to the Middle East until 2016.
- Washington Dulles (IAD) → Dubai (DXB) → Doha (DOH)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) → Kuwait City (KWI) → Bahrain (BAH)
United’s IAD-DXB-DOH and IAD-KWI-BAH flights. Image by Great Circle Mapper
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