Israeli Airlines Control 64.5% of Ben Gurion Airport Market in June

The Israel Airports Authority released passenger traffic data for June, showing Israeli airlines dominating Ben Gurion Airport's market share. El Al led with 43.6%, followed by Israir at 13.55% and Arkia at 12.33%, collectively accounting for approximately 64.5% of all passengers departing or arriving at the airport. Among foreign carriers, Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air held the largest share at 5.14%, followed by Blue Bird at 5%, Fly Dubai at 3.5%, and Etihad at 3.3%. The market is expected to shift in July as 11 new foreign airlines began operations at Ben Gurion.

Passenger traffic surged by 103.4% compared to June 2025, and aircraft movements rose by 91.3%. However, these figures were influenced by last year’s Operation "Iron Fist" and related airspace closures due to conflict with Iran, which limited flights to rescue operations only. In June 2026, 1.69 million passengers traveled through Ben Gurion, with Greece being the top destination for Israelis at 17.32%, followed by the United States at 8.37% and Cyprus at 8.28%. Currently, El Al and Arkia exclusively operate flights to the U.S., as American carriers Delta and American Airlines plan to resume flights to Israel only in October. Israir will join the U.S. route competition starting in August.

Cargo traffic also experienced significant growth, with 30,422 tons handled in June, a 62.85% increase from the previous year when cargo flights were restricted due to rescue operations. El Al leads passenger aircraft cargo transport with 73% of the total, followed by Etihad at 8.25% and Arkia at 5.06%. For dedicated cargo aircraft, Israeli carrier Challenge Airlines holds 34.4% of the cargo market, with European Air Transport second at 13.5%.