August Shatters Records: Israeli Travel Peaks with Greece and Cyprus Leading Destinations

Ben Gurion Airport experienced a record-breaking August, with 2.65 million passengers passing through, marking a significant increase of approximately 20% compared to August 2025. This surge brought the total number of passengers from January to August 2026 to over 11.1 million.

El Al Airlines maintained its position as the leading carrier in August, transporting about 812,000 passengers, representing a 30% market share. Israir followed with approximately 345,000 passengers, and Arkia came in third with around 323,000.

A notable shift occurred in the rankings as Bluebird Airways, an Israeli-owned airline, secured fourth place, surpassing Wizz Air by carrying over 228,000 passengers, or 8% of the market share for the month. This marks a significant achievement for the airline.

Looking at the year-to-date figures, El Al continues to dominate with over 4 million passengers (39% market share), followed by Israir (11.5%) and Arkia (11%). Wizz Air, a major low-cost carrier, has transported over 730,000 passengers so far this year, accounting for about 6.5% of the market.

The most popular destinations for Israelis in August were Greece, Cyprus, Italy, and the United Arab Emirates. For the year-to-date, the top destinations include Greece, Cyprus, the United States, and Italy. The preferred cities for August travel were Larnaca, Athens, Crete, and Rhodes, while year-to-date favorites include Athens, Larnaca, Dubai, and Paris.

The data underscores the sustained high demand for air travel, with Greece and Cyprus remaining the top choices for Israeli travelers. The performance of local airlines, particularly Bluebird's entry into the top four, highlights a strengthening position for domestic carriers.