South Florida air journey information: El Al, FLL, Avianca updates

Israeli carrier El Al has gained ground in Miami, Colombian airline Avianca has added flights in Broward and air traffic controllers are going digital.

Here’s a digest of top South Florida air travel stories:

• El Al could benefit as U.S. carriers stay out of Israel: American Airlines extended its suspension of flights through March 28, 2027, while United and Delta have not resumed Israel service until at least early September. That leaves El Al, which operates seven direct weekly flights between Miami International Airport and Tel Aviv during the summer, as a key option for South Florida travelers.
• FLL air traffic controllers go digital: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport became the 19th airport to adopt electronic flight strips, replacing the paper strips long used to document flight information. FAA officials say the upgrade improves safety by letting controllers keep their eyes on aircraft while recording data and creates a common platform shared by controllers, pilots, airlines and airports.
• Avianca expands at FLL after Spirit’s collapse: Colombian carrier Avianca launched two new daily routes from Fort Lauderdale to Barranquilla and Cali on July 15, following its June 1 addition of a second daily Bogotá flight. The expansion helps FLL recover after Spirit Airlines — the airport’s largest annual passenger source — shut down on May 2.

This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists.