Emirates may launch direct Tel Aviv to New York and Bangkok flights in bold new proposal
In a radical departure from its historically protectionist aviation policy, Israel’s Ministry of Transportation is advancing an unprecedented proposal to offer Dubai-based Emirates “seventh freedom” flight rights. This groundbreaking initiative would allow the carrier to establish a mini-base at Ben Gurion Airport, stationing aircraft and crew in Israel to operate standalone, direct flights to New York and Bangkok without needing to connect through Dubai.
The bold pitch is a direct response to the ongoing crisis in Israeli aviation, where recurrent regional conflicts have led U.S. legacy carriers to repeatedly suspend their Tel Aviv routes. While the Ministry of Transport’s proposal has officially put the idea on the table, aviation analysts emphasize that the plan faces staggering regulatory and diplomatic hurdles, making it an unapproved, highly complex long shot with a relatively low chance of actually happening.
If this historic proposal somehow clears its massive hurdles, it would instantly become one of the single most lucrative opportunities in the entire award travel universe. The entry of Emirates would completely shift leverage back to the consumer, opening up elite avenues to book some of the world’s best premium cabins directly out of Tel Aviv using flexible credit card points.
The absolute gold standard for booking this hypothetical route would be leveraging partner programs like Japan Airlines (JAL) Mileage Bank, which uses a distance-based award chart that offers staggering arbitrage value compared to standard zone-based programs. For a direct flight of roughly 5,700 miles between Tel Aviv and New York, a one-way Business Class ticket could cost as little as 65,000 JAL miles, bypassing the heavy devaluations seen in other frequent flyer programs.
However, navigating the points strategy requires understanding a rapidly shifting loyalty landscape, as Emirates has significantly altered its transferable points rules. Skywards completely removed Chase Ultimate Rewards as a transfer partner, and devalued its transfer ratios with major programs like American Express Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou to a 5:4 ratio, while Capital One Miles dropped to a 4:3 ratio, leaving Bilt Rewards as the lone remaining 1:1 transfer partner.
Furthermore, Emirates has implemented highly restrictive policies on its premium cabins, including raising the mileage cost of its own Classic Rewards and upgrades, and entirely restricting First Class award redemptions to Skywards elite members holding Silver tier or above.
For travelers utilizing major credit card ecosystems, these changes make leveraging partner programs like JAL or targeting sweet-spot Fifth Freedom pricing—such as the Newark-to-Athens route which prices economy saver awards at a predictable 17,500 miles one-way—the definitive playbook for maximizing value if the Tel Aviv route becomes a reality.
