Ben-Gurion Airport Braces for 3 Million Holiday Travelers

The Israel Airports Authority said today (Monday) that it is preparing for a peak in passenger traffic during the Tishrei holidays. More than 3 million passengers are expected to pass through the authority’s facilities during September and the holiday season.

Approximately 2.5 million passengers are expected to pass through Ben-Gurion Airport, 81,000 through Ramon Airport, 60,000 through Haifa Airport, and around 500,000 through the land border crossings to Jordan and Sinai.

The authority said it has completed its preparations and, in order to handle the expected volume of travelers, has expanded its staffing at Ben-Gurion Airport and the border crossings. There will also be an increased management presence at the terminals throughout the holidays.

It was also announced that dedicated flights to Uman will begin on Sunday, September 6, and continue through Thursday, September 17. This year’s peak travel days during the Tishrei holidays are expected to be September 10, 17, 22 and 25, when roughly 100,000 passengers a day are expected to pass through Ben-Gurion Airport on about 600 daily flights. Ahead of Rosh Hashanah, on September 10, more than 100,000 passengers are expected to pass through Ben-Gurion Airport on international flights.

Recommendations for travelers during the Tishrei holidays: Check in advance which terminal your flight departs from, check in at home, and print your baggage tag at the self-service kiosks. Passengers traveling with carry-on luggage only who have checked in independently are invited to use the fast track in Sector W at Terminals 1 and 3.