Israel's main airport receives passenger boost from Gaza ceasefire

By Steven Scheer

JERUSALEM, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Passenger traffic at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv rose 33% in 2025, the Israel Airports Authority reported on Tuesday, reflecting the return of foreign carriers after many airlines halted flights during the two-year Gaza war.

A U.S.-brokered ceasefire in October gave way to the resumption of flights to Israel by carriers who had not yet resumed routes to Tel Aviv. In December, the number of passengers rose 59%.

In all of 2025, passenger traffic at Israel's main air gateway Ben Gurion reached 18.5 million, versus 13.9 million in 2024. The airport handled 21.8 million people in 2023, the year war broke out after the October 7 attacks by Hamas.

Flag carrier El Al Israel Airlines ELAL.TA, which did not halt flights during the war other than last June during a 12-day conflict with Iran, showed a 5% annual gain to 6.9 million passengers, though its market share slipped to 37% from 48%.

El Al has posted steep gains in revenue and profit as a result of the conflict, in which just a handful of carriers were operating.

Smaller rivals Israir ISRG.TA, with an 11% market share, and Arkia at 9% followed El Al.

Wizz Air WIZZ.L was the largest foreign carrier in Israel with 1.23 million passengers - double its 2024 level - for a 7% market share. Wizz is seeking to establish a hub in Israel.

Aegean, flydubai, Etihad, Lufthansa and United also posted large gains in the number of passengers last year.

Separately, Israel's Statistics Bureau said tourist numbers to Israel rose 38% in 2025 to 1.34 million, but remained below the 2023 level of 3.24 million. Outgoing tourism by Israelis grew 33% to 9.42 million last year.

The Gaza war broke out in October 2023. While the ceasefire halted most fighting, it has not stopped entirely.

Israeli strikes since the deal was struck have killed more than 400 Palestinians - most of them civilians, according to Gaza health officials - and Palestinian militants have killed three Israeli soldiers.

Both sides have accused one another of violating the deal's provisions.

(Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by Jan Harvey)

((steven.scheer@thomsonreuters.com; +972 2 632 2210; Reuters Messaging: X: @StevenMScheer))