Neither New York nor Paris: This is the preferred destination for Israelis this summer
The Israel Airports Authority has released July data showing a rapid recovery in passenger traffic at Ben Gurion Airport, with a sharp increase in flight volumes compared to last year.
The Israel Airports Authority has released July data showing a rapid recovery in passenger traffic at Ben Gurion Airport, with a sharp increase in flight volumes compared to last year.
While April saw only about 477,000 passengers as the aviation industry began its post-war recovery, July recorded over 2.2 million passengers. This represents a 37% increase compared to July 2025, when approximately 1.6 million passengers passed through the airport.
Airline Market Shares
The market share landscape continues to shift. El Al maintained its position as Israel's largest airline in July, carrying approximately 816,000 passengers for a 35% market share. Israir followed in second place with 294,000 passengers (13%), while Arkia ranked third with over 271,000 passengers (12%).
A notable surprise in the monthly data was the change in fourth place. Blue Bird, owned by the Israeli group Kavim Chufsha, overtook Wizz Air in July, carrying over 173,000 passengers (7.5% market share) compared to Wizz Air's 138,000 (6%).
Looking at the broader period from January to July 2026, El Al leads by a significant margin with over 3.5 million passengers and a 42% market share. Israir (11%) and Arkia (10%) follow, while Wizz Air returns to fourth place with 6% of the market, despite suspending flights to Israel from late February through May.
Where are Israelis flying?
The list of preferred destinations has remained largely consistent. In July, the most popular countries were Greece, Cyprus, Italy, the UAE, and the USA. Year-to-date, Greece leads the list, followed by the USA, the UAE, Italy, and Cyprus.
City-level data shows a similar trend. In July, Israelis primarily chose to fly to Larnaca, Athens, Dubai, Crete, and Paris. Since the beginning of the year, the most requested urban destinations have been Athens, Larnaca, Dubai, Paris, and New York.
The data indicates that Israelis have returned to flying in large numbers for the summer holidays. However, many still prefer short-haul destinations within the Mediterranean basin. Industry experts suggest that ongoing security uncertainty and fears of escalation continue to influence booking patterns, leading passengers to favor destinations only a few hours away.
