Ben Airport Passenger Traffic Up 6% in October, Israeli Carriers Gain Share
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
Israeli airlines collectively increased their market share to over 54%, with El Al showing significant growth. Arkia, however, saw a decline in passengers and market share amid financial challenges. Passenger traffic to the UAE dropped sharply, while Italy and the US saw notable increases.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli airlines increased their collective market share to 54.31% in October.
- El Al's passenger numbers grew 15.08%, boosting its market share to 34.38%.
- Arkia experienced a 5.75% passenger decrease and a market share drop to 8.06%.
- Passenger traffic to the UAE fell by over 50% following operational changes.
- Italy and the US saw significant increases in passenger traffic from Israel in October.
Despite this monthly rise, overall traffic from January to October saw a slight decrease of 0.45% compared to the same period in 2025, with around 15.28 million international passengers passing through the airport.
International passenger traffic in October increased by 5.31% to 1.88 million, while domestic traffic surged by 28.61% to 70,940 passengers. The total number of flights also rose by 5.83% to 14,226.
A significant trend highlighted in the report is the strengthening position of Israeli airlines. In October, they carried 1.025 million passengers, representing 54.31% of all international traffic at TLV, up from 52.21% last October. This marks a 9.55% increase in passengers for Israeli carriers.
El Al led the domestic carriers, transporting 649,118 passengers, which constituted 34.38% of the total traffic, an increase from 31.46% in October 2025. Israir carried 211,640 passengers, a 3.04% rise, holding an 11.21% market share. Arkia, however, experienced a 5.75% decline in passengers to 152,215, with its market share falling to 8.06%, amid reported financial difficulties and the owners' intention to sell the airline.
Destination popularity also shifted. Greece remained the top destination with 200,280 passengers, though traffic decreased by 6.69%. The United States saw an 18.85% increase to 190,221 passengers, and Italy experienced a substantial 40.83% jump to 180,462. Conversely, passenger numbers to the United Arab Emirates plummeted by 50.7% to 72,043, following operational changes on the route after an attempted hijacking incident involving Flydubai and the subsequent cessation of the route.
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