Travel Operations
Air access, entry requirements, Ben Gurion operations and ground logistics.
⚡ Key points
- Ben Gurion open, all terminal services; recovery uneven (10 Jun: 122 delays, 15 cancellations).
- Israeli carriers at full schedule; ~17 foreign carriers have returned; Lufthansa/SWISS/ITA from 1 Jul.
- Suspended: easyJet, British Airways (to 1 Aug), Iberia (to 27 Jul), Brussels (to 24 Oct); US/Canada majors Sep; American to Jan 2027.
- Airfares elevated on thin foreign supply; European one-stops dominate long-haul.
- Entry: ETA-IL mandatory — ₪25, valid 2 years, 90 days per visit.
- Ground: Israel Railways links Terminal 3 to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa.
🎯 Key insights
- Capacity, not safety, is the gating factor for 2026 volume — seats trail demand.
- The US connectivity gap (no direct lift before late 2026; American to 2027) is the structural weak point for Israel’s largest market.
- Treat published resumption dates as provisional until ticketed and flown; hold multi-carrier options.
✈️ Air access
Foreign-carrier capacity is the principal brake on inbound volume this summer. Israeli carriers (El Al, Israir, Arkia, Air Haifa) run full schedules; about seventeen foreign carriers have resumed, with the Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, SWISS, ITA) due 1 July. Several European and North-American carriers remain suspended (see table). Seat supply trails demand, keeping fares elevated and long-haul routings dependent on European hubs.
🛂 Entry requirements
All visa-exempt travellers need an approved ETA-IL before travel (mandatory since 1 Jan 2025; ₪25; valid up to 2 years / 90 days per visit). See the ETA-IL section for the full guide.
🛬 Ben Gurion operations
The airport is open with full terminal services, but recovery is uneven — some days see delays and cancellations as schedules rebuild (122 delays / 15 cancellations on 10 June). Build buffer time into transfers and reconfirm flights close to departure.
🚐 Ground operations
Israel Railways links Terminal 3 directly to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa. Hotel supply is expanding. Land crossings to Jordan are operated by the Israel Airports Authority.
🛩️ Airlines at Ben Gurion
| Airline | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| El Al | Operating | Israeli flag carrier; full network |
| Israir | Operating | Israeli carrier |
| Arkia | Operating | Israeli carrier |
| Air Haifa | Operating | Israeli carrier |
| Austrian Airlines | Operating | Vienna; resumed 1 Jun 2026 |
| Wizz Air | Operating | Resumed 28 May 2026 |
| Air France | Operating | Paris CDG; resumed 10 May |
| Air Europa | Operating | Madrid; resumed 1 Jun |
| Air India | Operating | Delhi; resumed 1 Jun |
| Etihad Airways | Operating | Abu Dhabi (2 daily); Gulf/Asia |
| Ethiopian Airlines | Operating | Addis Ababa; Africa connections |
| Hainan Airlines | Operating | Beijing |
| Bluebird Airways | Operating | Athens (daily) |
| TUS Airways | Operating | Larnaca + others |
| Smartwings | Operating | Czech / charters |
| FlyOne | Operating | Chisinau |
| Uzbekistan Airways | Operating | Tashkent |
| Georgian Airways | Operating | Tbilisi |
| Red Wings | Operating | Russia |
| ALK Airlines | Operating | Sofia |
| Lufthansa Cargo | Operating | Frankfurt (cargo) |
| Lufthansa | Resuming | From 1 Jul 2026 |
| SWISS | Resuming | From 1 Jul 2026 |
| ITA Airways | Resuming | From 1 Jul 2026 |
| easyJet | Suspended | Through winter 2026 |
| British Airways | Suspended | Resume 1 Aug 2026 |
| Iberia | Suspended | Through 27 Jul 2026 |
| Brussels Airlines | Suspended | Through 24 Oct 2026 |
| United Airlines | Suspended | Through 7 Sep 2026 |
| Delta Air Lines | Suspended | Through 5 Sep 2026 |
| Air Canada | Suspended | Through 8 Sep 2026 |
| American Airlines | Suspended | Not before 6 Jan 2027 |
| Ryanair | Suspended | No confirmed return date |
🧠 Analyst’s insight
Air capacity, not safety, governs Israel’s 2026 inbound ceiling. The destination is open, but the seat supply that fills it is returning unevenly and trails demand — which is why fares are high and schedules occasionally wobble. The structural gap is North America: with no direct US or Canadian lift expected before later in 2026 (American not before January 2027), the largest source market must connect one-stop through Europe, adding cost, time and a failure point.
Design for resilience, not optimism. Published return dates are intentions, not guarantees, and capacity could re-tighten if the ceasefire frays. Operators who hold options across multiple carriers, prefer refundable fares and build buffer time will protect both margins and client experience.
✅ Operator actions
- Assume European one-stops for US and Canadian clients until direct lift returns.
- Hold space on multiple carriers; treat resumption dates as provisional until flown.
- Use refundable or flexible fares; build 24–48h buffers around arrival and departure.
- Ensure every client holds an approved ETA-IL at least 7 days before travel.
- Use the Terminal 3 rail link for transfers; reconfirm flights 48h out.
Sources: Israel Airports Authority, Masa Israel airlines tracker, Times of Israel, Travel And Tour World, ch-aviation. Last updated: 24 June 2026, Israel time.
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