Israeli Airport Traffic Shows Strong Recovery, Exceeding Pre-October 7 Levels
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Ben Gurion Airport traffic has nearly recovered to pre-October 7, 2023 levels, with international passenger numbers down only 1% in September 2026 compared to the previous year. Departures in October 2026 reached 793,500, a slight decrease from 2025, but cumulative departures for the first ten months of 2026 rose to 8.10 million. A significant increase was seen in visits by Israelis living abroad, reaching 9.6% of total departures in October. Air travel shows a strong upward trend, with monthly averages increasing significantly in recent months.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Ben Gurion Airport passenger traffic is nearly recovered to pre-October 7, 2023 levels.
- October 2026 saw 793,500 Israeli departures abroad, a slight decrease from the previous year.
- Cumulative departures for the first ten months of 2026 increased to 8.10 million.
- Visits by Israelis living abroad rose to 9.6% of total departures in October 2026.
- Air travel activity has strengthened significantly in recent months.
- International flights in September 2026 increased by approximately 1% compared to 2023.
Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) is experiencing a significant recovery in passenger traffic, nearing pre-October 7, 2023 levels. In October 2026, there were 793,500 departures by Israelis abroad, a slight decrease from 811,900 in October 2025. Air travel remains dominant, accounting for 696,100 departures, while land crossings saw 86,700 departures, including 29,500 through the Taba crossing, a drop from the previous year. Sea travel accounted for 10,700 departures.
Cumulatively, the first ten months of 2026 saw 8.10 million departures, an increase from 7.93 million in the same period of 2025. Air travel comprised 6.97 million of these, with land crossings at 1.06 million and sea travel at 71,100.
A notable trend in October was the rise in visits by Israelis living abroad, partly attributed to Knesset elections. Departures by emigrants reached 76,300, or 9.6% of total departures, up from 6.4% in October 2025. This figure is based on an updated Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) methodology defining an "Israeli emigrant" as an Israeli citizen residing abroad for at least nine cumulative months in a year.
Seasonally adjusted data indicates a substantial strengthening of air travel activity. Between August and October 2026, the monthly average for air departures jumped to 902,000, compared to 720,600 from May to July. The growth rate also accelerated, averaging 6.2% per month in August-October, up from 5.0% in the preceding months.
International passenger traffic at Ben Gurion Airport has almost fully recovered compared to its volume before October 7, 2023. In September 2026, passenger traffic was only about 1% lower than in September 2023, and the number of international flights actually increased by approximately 1%.