Ahead of the Knesset elections on Tuesday, about 32,200 passengers have been arriving daily at Ben Gurion Airport over the past two weeks, while an average of 26,000 passengers have been departing, the Israel Airports Authority reports.
Israir CEO Uri Sirkis wrote on LinkedIn, "In recent days, we have witnessed a distinct trend at Ben Gurion Airport. The number of passengers arriving in Israel exceeds the number of those departing."
He added, "Behind these figures are Israelis choosing to return home -sometimes from thousands of kilometers away - to take part in the elections and exercise their democratic right to vote. This serves as an inspiring testament to commitment, a sense of belonging, and responsibility. No matter where you are in the world - when your voice carries meaning, you find your way home."
While the gap between the number of inbound and outbound passengers is noticeable, the number of incoming passengers is lower than in the summer vacation and religious holidays period. In August, the daily number of arrivals stood at 44,000, and in September at 37,300 (compared with 32,000 currently).
Last October, despite the holiday season falling within that month, the figure for inbound passengers was even lower, at 31,000. In any case, the highest number of arrivals at Ben Gurion Airport is expected on Monday, when, according to the Israel Airports Authority, some 37,000 passengers are scheduled to arrive.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on October 25, 2026.
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