Ben Airport Sees September Passenger Drop, El Al Leads Airline Traffic

International travel saw a significant rise, with 2.2 million passengers, an increase of 14.8% from September of the previous year. Overall, 7.8 thousand inbound and 7.8 thousand outbound flights were recorded, both showing slight decreases of around 1.2% year-over-year. Inbound passenger numbers fell by 1.06% to 1.1 million, while outbound passengers also decreased by 1.36% to 1.1 million.

August was the busiest month for international travel, with 2.6 million passengers, surpassing September's figures. Analyzing airline performance in September, El Al was the dominant carrier, transporting 681,000 passengers, which represents 29.9% of the total and a 5.5% increase from the previous year. Israir followed with 288,000 passengers, a 19% increase. Arkia ranked third with 245,000 passengers, up 17%. Wizz Air saw a substantial 73.7% surge to 232,000 passengers, attributed to increased flight frequency. Bluebird carried 142,000 passengers, a 49% rise. Flydubai was the only airline to experience a decline, with 76,000 passengers, and has suspended its flights to Israel.

Other airlines also reported decreases. United Airlines flew 23,000 passengers, a 31.4% drop, and Austrian Airlines transported 19,000 passengers, a 31.6% decrease. On a year-to-date basis, El Al leads with 5 million passengers, despite a 4.8% decrease compared to 2025. Israir is second with 1.5 million passengers (down 3.8%), followed by Arkia with 1.4 million (up 12.5%). Wizz Air has seen a 34.1% increase to 962,000 passengers, and Bluebird is fifth with 711,000 passengers (up 6.9%).

For destination countries, Greece was the most popular choice for Israeli travelers in September, with 397,000 people flying there, a 31% increase year-over-year. Cyprus was the second most popular destination with 200,000 passengers, up 22.8%, followed by Italy with 197,000 passengers, a 51% increase.