Even with soaring ticket prices, Israelis are flocking abroad this summer, with Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport expected on Thursday to log its busiest day since the outbreak of the war with Hamas on October 7, 2023.
Passenger numbers at the country’s main international gateway have been steadily climbing over the past month, reaching near pre-war volumes during the height of the summer travel season. This rebound comes despite airfare hikes of up to 119% over the past two years.
“Steep prices aren’t stopping Israelis from flying overseas and locking in their holiday plans,” said Asaf Greenberg, marketing director at online travel firm lastminute.co.il. “Travelers are adapting to the market by seeking out more competitive deals.”
Even with soaring ticket prices, Israelis are pressing ahead with summer travel plans, and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport was expected on Thursday to see its busiest day since the war with Hamas erupted on October 7, 2023.
Passenger volumes at the airport have steadily rebounded in recent weeks, approaching pre-war levels during the height of the summer season, despite airfare increases of up to 119% over the past two years.
“Steep prices aren’t stopping Israelis from flying overseas and locking in their holiday plans,” said Asaf Greenberg, marketing director at online travel firm lastminute.co.il. “We’re seeing a growing demand for packages that bundle flights and hotels, which can save travelers hundreds of dollars in a time of volatile ticket prices.”
As the summer travel season hits its peak, nearly 86,000 passengers were expected to pass through Ben Gurion Airport on Thursday — the highest single-day total since before the war with Hamas began some 22 months ago, Israel Airports Authority data showed. About 43,700 travelers were scheduled to depart on international flights, while 42,100 were due to arrive on inbound services. The figure marks the busiest day since summer 2023, when traffic had rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.
This summer is shaping up to be the costliest in recent years for Israeli travelers, driven by strong demand, a renewed sense of stability following the end of the conflict with Iran, and the slow return of foreign airlines to the country.
August is projected to be the busiest month for passenger traffic since October 2023, with Ben Gurion Airport expected to process around 2.1 million travelers. While that figure remains below the 2.8 million recorded in August 2023 before the war, it is well above the 1.6 million who passed through during the same month last year.
While several foreign airlines have resumed service to Israel at reduced frequencies, Israeli carriers have attempted to fill the gap by adding routes and flights. Even so, the supply of seats has not kept pace with the sharp rise in demand, said Greenberg, keeping airfare and vacation package prices elevated.
Data from online travel agency lastminute.co.il show that tickets departing Tel Aviv in July cost on average 61% more than during the summer two years ago, before the war. Rome topped the list of most expensive destinations, with fares up 119% — from an average of $259 to $567. Amsterdam and Berlin followed with price hikes of around 90% each, while tickets to Bucharest jumped 83%, and fares to Budapest and Tbilisi climbed 75% over the same period. Prices to Bangkok, a key Asian destination, rose about 57% compared with 2023.
Since the war began, Israeli travelers have faced repeated disruptions as many foreign airlines have alternated between canceling and resuming flights, leaving much of the country’s international connectivity in the hands of local carriers El Al, Israir, and Arkia.
Ben Gurion Airport returned to full operations at the end of June after Israeli airspace was largely shut for 12 days during the conflict with Iran. Following Israeli strikes on Iran on June 13 and missile barrages directed at Israel, most major European and U.S. airlines halted flights or extended suspensions — in some cases until September or October. The mass cancellations left thousands of Israelis scrambling for alternative flights, often at significantly higher prices, or abandoning travel plans altogether.
Greenberg said that once Israel’s airspace reopened, demand surged as Israelis rushed to secure family getaways — which made up 33% of all bookings in July — followed by couples at 35% and solo travelers at 32%. The overwhelming majority of these bookings, 79%, were for short-haul flights to popular spots such as Greece, Cyprus, and Hungary.
The preference for Israeli airlines, which maintained service through most of the war, was especially strong, accounting for 88% of all bookings in July. According to Israel Airports Authority data, Israeli carriers transported 1,159,535 passengers that month, or 69.26% of all travelers passing through Ben Gurion Airport — a 22.44% increase compared with July last year.
“Although some foreign carriers, including Lufthansa, LOT, and Wizz Air, are gradually planning their return or have resumed service, not all have,” Greenberg noted. “We are still not seeing any significant drop in fares, given the strong demand from Israeli vacationers. Any relief, if it comes, will likely be modest, with prices staying high compared with previous years at least until September or October.”
