MIAMI – El Al Airlines is once again offering nonstop service to Tel Aviv from Miami International Airport.
The airline will service the route three times a week, taking 279 passengers to and from the holy land on board a Boeing 777.
The airline flew the direct route years ago, but it was canceled in 2008 at the height of the recession.
Wednesday's announcement and inaugural flight came with heightened security to make passengers feel at ease.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez is confident that the nonstop service to Israel will be a major success as Miami has the third largest Jewish population in the U.S.
"But for economic development purposes, Israel is No. 3 in the world in startups," Gimenez said. "They have unbelievable technology, so we want to be the bridge from Israel as they establish their businesses in South America and the Caribbean, because we're the gateway."