El Al Leads Ben Gurion Airport as Dubai Flights Plummet

Ben Gurion Airport saw a 6.01% increase in passenger traffic in October 2026 compared to the previous year, handling over 1.95 million passengers. However, this overall growth masks significant regional disparities, with a dramatic 97.47% drop in passenger numbers on flights between Israel and Dubai. This decline saw traffic fall from nearly 100,000 passengers in October 2025 to just over 2,500 in October 2026, a change attributed to unspecified factors related to demand or flight availability.

Despite the Dubai downturn, most European destinations experienced robust growth. Greece remained the most popular international destination, though its passenger numbers saw a slight 6.69% decrease year-on-year. The United States ranked second with a significant 18.85% increase in passenger traffic, followed by Italy, which saw a remarkable 40.83% surge. Athens, Larnaca, Rome, New York JFK, and Budapest were among the busiest individual airport destinations.

Israeli airlines, including El Al, Israir, and Arkia, collectively controlled 54.31% of international passenger traffic at Ben Gurion in October, an increase of 9.55% from the previous year. El Al maintained its market leadership, carrying 649,118 passengers, a 15.08% increase. Terminal 1, serving departing passengers, experienced a substantial 34.55% rise in traffic, while Terminal 3, the main hub, saw a more modest 2.67% increase.

Domestic flights also showed strong recovery, with a 28.61% increase in passengers, primarily on the route to Ramon Airport in southern Israel. Cargo operations also grew by 9.04%, with specialized cargo flights increasing by 13.77%. CAL was the leading cargo airline, with Belgium, Germany, and the UAE as key cargo destinations.