Record Exodus: Israelis Flock Abroad in August and September
Translated & summarized from Bizportal by baba
Israel experienced record-breaking outbound travel in August and September, with over 2.6 million departures combined. August saw approximately 1.41 million departures, the highest monthly total ever, surpassing pre-war figures. While Israelis are traveling abroad in large numbers, inbound tourism remains significantly below pre-war levels, creating a notable economic gap.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Over 2.6 million Israelis traveled abroad in August and September, setting new records.
- August recorded 1.41 million departures, the highest monthly figure ever registered.
- September's 1.23 million departures also surpassed previous records, including pre-war levels.
- Inbound tourism remains less than half of pre-war levels despite a slight increase in September.
- Israeli spending abroad in Q1 2026 was $1.92 billion, excluding flights.
Israelis traveled abroad in record numbers during August and September, marking the highest monthly outbound travel figures ever recorded. In August, approximately 1.41 million departures were registered, followed by 1.23 million in September. Combined, these two months saw over 2.6 million departures, indicating a strong resurgence in demand for international flights and vacations.
September's figures showed a significant increase of about 17% compared to the 1.05 million departures in the same month of 2025. Of the September departures, roughly 1.1 million were by air, 119,000 via land crossings, and 11,800 by sea. These numbers also surpassed pre-war levels, with September 2023 seeing 1.10 million departures and September 2019 recording 929,000. This year's September travel exceeded even the period when Israel's aviation sector operated at full capacity.
August proved to be an exceptionally strong month, surpassing its previous record from 2019 (1.24 million departures) and the pre-war figure of 1.34 million in August 2023. Approximately 1.2 million August departures were by air, 192,000 by land, and 11,700 by sea. The Airport Authority also reported unusual congestion in ground services and parking lots.
The surge in outbound travel is partly attributed to an improved supply of seats, with more foreign airlines resuming operations in Israel and Israeli carriers increasing flight frequencies. Popular destinations included Greece, Cyprus, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Germany.
In contrast, inbound tourism remains significantly below pre-war levels. In August, only about 117,600 visitors entered Israel, and while this rose to 137,200 in September, it is still less than half the level seen in September 2023 (330,900 visitors). Despite a positive trend this year, the gap remains substantial. This disparity has financial implications, as Israelis spent approximately $1.92 billion abroad in the first quarter of 2026, excluding flights, a decrease of 8.5% from the same period in 2025.
Mentioned
