Israel Braces for Record Holiday Travel Surge at Ben Gurion Airport

Israel's Airports Authority is preparing for an unprecedented surge in passenger traffic during the upcoming High Holidays, with over 3 million travelers expected to pass through its facilities. Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) alone anticipates approximately 2.5 million passengers, while an additional half a million are projected to use land border crossings to Jordan and Egypt. Ramon Airport in the south and Haifa Airport in the north will handle around 81,000 and 60,000 passengers, respectively.

Peak travel days at Ben Gurion Airport are scheduled for September 10, 17, 22, and 25. On these days, the airport expects to handle around 100,000 passengers daily, with approximately 600 flights departing. This follows a busy August, which saw over 2.65 million passengers pass through TLV.

Top destinations for Israelis during the holidays include Greece, Cyprus, the United States, Italy, and the United Arab Emirates. For land crossings, the Rabin crossing to Jordan is expected to be the busiest, with an estimated 190,000 travelers, followed by the Allenby crossing with 153,000, the Begin crossing to Taba with 100,000, and the Jordan River crossing with 55,000.

Special flights to Uman, Ukraine, a pilgrimage site for many Hasidic Jews, will operate from September 6 to September 17. To manage the expected congestion, the Airports Authority has increased its staffing and is advising travelers to check their terminal in advance, complete online check-in, print baggage tags at self-service stations, and utilize fast lanes for those with only carry-on luggage. Security personnel are also reminded to thoroughly check their bags for any remaining ammunition.