Ben Gurion Airport

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Ben Gurion Airport (IATA: TLV, ICAO: LLBG) is Israel's main international airport, located near Lod, about 15 kilometers southeast of Tel Aviv. It serves as the primary air gateway to the country, handling the majority of Israel's international passenger and cargo traffic. Renowned for its stringent security measures, it is named after David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first Prime Minister.

Key moments

1936Originally opened as Lydda Airport during the British Mandate for Palestine
1948Renamed Lod Airport after Israel's independence
1973Renamed Ben Gurion Airport in honor of David Ben-Gurion
2004Terminal 3 opened, becoming the main international terminal
2017Terminal 1 reopened as a domestic terminal after renovation

Global Reputation for Security

Ben Gurion Airport is widely recognized as one of the most secure airports globally. Its multi-layered security system begins long before passengers reach the terminal, with pre-flight screenings, behavioral analysis of travelers, and strict border control protocols. This focus on security has been shaped by Israel's unique geopolitical context, ensuring passenger safety while maintaining efficient operations.

Role in Israel's Connectivity

As the country's primary aviation hub, Ben Gurion plays a critical role in linking Israel to the rest of the world. It serves over 20 million passengers annually, connecting to more than 100 destinations across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The airport also supports Israel's tourism industry, which is a key contributor to the national economy.

Historical Evolution and Infrastructure

From its origins as a small colonial airport, Ben Gurion has undergone significant expansions over decades. The addition of Terminal 3 in 2004 doubled its capacity, featuring modern facilities and advanced technology. Ongoing upgrades, including plans for a new terminal and runway extensions, aim to accommodate growing passenger demand and maintain its position as a leading regional aviation center.

image-width	250
image2	File:Ben-gurion-airport-terminal--september-2012.jpg
image2-width	250
iata	TLV
icao	LLBG
type	Public
owner	Ministry of Transport and Road Safety
operator	Israel Airports Authority
location	Central District, Israel
city-served	Gush Dan and Greater Jerusalem‡R1R‡
hub	Arkia CAL Cargo Airlines El Al Israir Sundor
elevation-f	135
coordinates	32.00944°N, 34.88278°W
pushpin map	Israel#Middle East2
pushpin label	TLV
pushpin map caption	Location within Israel##Location within the Middle East
website	iaa.gov.il
metric-rwy	yes
r1-number	03/21
r1-length-m	2772
r1-surface	Asphalt Concrete
r2-number	08/26
r2-length-m	4062
r2-surface	Asphalt Concrete
r3-number	12/30
r3-length-m	3112
r3-surface	Asphalt Concrete
stat-year	2025
stat1-header	Total passengers
stat1-data	19,160,160 32%
stat2-header	International passengers
stat2-data	18,470,531 33%
stat3-header	Domestic passengers
stat3-data	689,629 6%
stat4-header	Aircraft movements
stat4-data	140,736 30%
footnotes	Source: Civil Aviation Authority of Israel

Ben Gurion International Airport, commonly known by the Hebrew-language acronym , is the main international airport of Israel. Situated on outskirts north of the city of Lod and directly south of the city of Or Yehuda, it was the busiest airport in the country. It is located 45 km to the northwest of Jerusalem and 20 km to the southeast of Tel Aviv.[2] It was known as Lod Airport until 1973, when it was renamed in honour of David Ben-Gurion (1886–1973), the first prime minister of Israel. The airport serves as a hub for El Al, Israir, Arkia, and Sundor, and is managed by the Israel Airports Authority.

In 2025, Ben Gurion International Airport handled 19.2 million passengers,[3] making it one of the busiest airports in the Middle East. It is considered to be among the five best airports in the Middle East due to its passenger experience and its high level of security;[4] while it has been the target of several terrorist attacks, no attempt to hijack a plane departing from Ben Gurion Airport has ever succeeded.[5]

The airport is of great importance to Israel as it is one of the few convenient entry points into the country for most passengers.[6] As it was Israel's only international airport, it was regarded as a single point of failure, which led to the opening of Ramon Airport in 2019.[7]

History

British Mandatory period (1934–1948)

The airport began during the British Mandate for Palestine as an airstrip of two unpaved runways on the outskirts of the town of Lydda (now Lod), near the Templer colony of Wilhelma. It was built in 1934, largely at the urging of Airwork Services.[8] The first passenger service at the new airport was the Misr Airwork route Cairo—Lydda—Nicosia, inaugurated on 3 August 1935. Subsequently, Misr flew via Lydda to Haifa and Baghdad. The first continental European airline with a regular service to Lydda was LOT Polish Airlines since 4 April 1937. By that time, Lydda Airport boasted four fully operational concrete runways. Holland's KLM, which had since 1933 stopped at Gaza en route to Batavia, Dutch East Indies (now Jakarta, Indonesia), moved the service to Lydda in 1937.

Passenger terminals

Terminal 1

History

Before the opening of Terminal 3, Terminal 1 was the main terminal building at Ben Gurion Airport. At that time, the departures check-in area was located on the ground floor. From there, passengers proceeded upstairs to the main departures hall, which contained passport control, duty-free shops, VIP lounges, one synagogue and boarding gates. At the gates, travelers would be required to descend a flight of stairs to return to the ground floor where waiting shuttle buses transported them to airplanes on the tarmac. The arrivals hall with passport control, luggage carousels, duty-free pick-up and customs was located at the south end of the building. The apron buses transferred passengers and crews to and from the terminal to airplanes which were parked on the tarmac over 500 m away. After Terminal 3 opened, Terminal 1 was closed except for domestic flights to the airport in Eilat and government flights such as special immigrant flights from North America and Africa. Chartered flights organised by Nefesh B'Nefesh carrying immigrants from North America and England use this terminal for their landing ceremonies several times a year.[26]

Development plans

In December 2017, the IAA announced a long-term expansion plan for Ben Gurion Airport estimated to cost approximately NIS 9 billion. Plans include further expansion of Terminal 1, a new dedicated domestic flights terminal, a major expansion of Terminal 3's landside terminal which would add approximately 90 additional check-in counters, construction of Concourse A, and additional aircraft parking spaces and ramps. In addition, air cargo facilities would be relocated to a large, currently-unused tract of land in the northern part of the airport's property (north of runway 08/26) where additional aircraft maintenance facilities would also be built.

In the meantime, to ease immediate overcrowding problems at Terminal 3's landside terminal, in the spring of 2018 a temporary large, air-conditioned tent was erected adjacent to Terminal 3 housing 25 check-in counters and security screening facilities. This tent was used for compulsory COVID-19 testing for all arriving passengers between 2020 and 2022.

In August 2018, the IAA published a tender for the construction and operation of a new terminal, dedicated to handling private and executive aircraft traffic.[49]

In late 2021 construction began on a new interchange that will provide additional access to the airport from Highway 1. The new interchange significantly reduced the distance vehicles must travel to access the airport's main terminal from the direction of Tel Aviv and other points north and west of the airport.

Office buildings

The Airport City development, a large office park, is located east of the main airport property. It is at the junction of the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv metropolitan areas.[50]

The head office of El Al is located at Ben Gurion Airport,[51] as is the head office of the Israel Airports Authority.[52]

The head offices of the Civil Aviation Authority and Challenge Airlines IL are located in the Airport City office park nearby the airport.[53][54]

Runways

Main runway

The closest runway to terminals 1 and 3 is 12/30, 3112 m in length, and is followed by a taxiway. Most landings take place on this runway from West to East, approaching from the Mediterranean Sea over southern Tel Aviv.[56] During inclement weather, it may also be used for takeoffs (Direction 12). A 17 million NIS renovation project was completed in November 2007 which reinforced the runway and made it suitable for future wide-body aircraft. In September 2008, a new ILS serving the runway was activated. The main runway was closed from 2011 until early 2014 in order to accommodate the extension of runway 03/21 and other construction activity in the vicinity of the runway.

Quiet runway

The longest runway at the airfield, 4062 m, and the main take off runway from east to west (direction 08/26), is referred to as "the quiet runway" since jets taking off in this direction produce less noise pollution for surrounding residents. A 24 million NIS renovation project completed in February 2006 reinforced the runway and made it suitable for wide-body aircraft such as Airbus A380

Security procedures

Overview

Security at Ben Gurion International Airport operates on several levels.[60]

All cars, taxis, buses and trucks go through a preliminary security checkpoint before entering the airport compound. Armed guards spot-check the vehicles by looking into cars, taxis and boarding buses, exchanging a few words with the driver and passengers. Armed security personnel stationed at the terminal entrances keep a close watch on those who enter the buildings. If someone arouses their suspicion or looks nervous, they may strike up a conversation to further assess the person's intent. Plainclothes armed personnel patrol the area outside the building, and hidden surveillance cameras operate at all times.[61] Inside the building, both uniformed and plainclothes security officers are on constant patrol. Departing passengers are personally questioned by security agents before arriving at the check-in desk.[62]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

The following airlines serve regular scheduled and charter destinations at Ben Gurion Airport.[65] As of 2026-04-05, most foreign airlines have suspended their operations due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East.[66]

Cargo

Statistics

Commercial flights from Sde Dov Airport which, until its closure in July 2019, handled more domestic passengers annually than TLV have been moved to Ben Gurion.[234]

Ground transportation

The airport is located near Highway 1, the main Jerusalem–Tel Aviv Highway and Highway 40. The airport is accessible by car or public bus. Israel Railways operates train service from the airport to several parts of the country and taxi stands are located outside the arrivals building. A popular transportation option is a share taxi van, known in Hebrew as a monit sherut (service cab), going to Jerusalem, Haifa, and Beersheba.

Public transport

Israel has an integrated nationwide public transport payment system covering multiple transit options (train, bus, and light rail) run by various operators using a single payment card: the Rav-Kav. It features flexible tariff arrangements and offers free transfers between transit methods within certain geographical zones and time periods. A public transport information office which also issues Rav-Kav cards is located in the arrivals hall of Terminal 3. With a few exceptions, most public transport options (except for taxis and service cabs) do not operate on the Sabbath (i.e., from early Friday evenings to late Saturday evenings as well as certain Jewish holidays).

A new app payment system was introduced in December 2020. The apps have a different, simpler fare system. The two supporting routing and payment are: Cello, Moovit

Service quality

Passenger rankings

In December 2006, Ben Gurion International Airport ranked first among 40 European airports and 8th out of 77 airports in the world, in a survey, conducted by Airports Council International, to determine the most customer-friendly airport. Tel Aviv placed second in the grouping of airports which carry between 5 and 15 million passengers per year behind Japan's Nagoya Airport. The survey consisted of 34 questions. A random sampling of 350 passengers at the departure gate were asked how satisfied they were with the service, infrastructure and facilities. Ben Gurion received a rating of 3.94 out of 5, followed by Vienna, Munich, Amsterdam, Brussels, Zürich, Copenhagen, and Helsinki. The airport retained its title as the best Middle Eastern airport in the 2007, 2008, and 2009 surveys.[247][248]

Awards

Accidents and incidents

On 13 February 1939, a Fokker F.XVIII (VQ-PAF) of the newly founded Commercial Aviation Company Ltd. was being flown around the airport for an inaugural celebration. While landing the pilot lost control and veered off into the mud, damaging it beyond repair.[259]
On 5 February 1950, a Douglas C-54A-10-DC (4X-ACD) of El Al skidded off during takeoff, caught fire, and was damaged beyond repair. All 50 occupants survived.[260]
On 15 May 1953, a Douglas C-47 of the USAF as part of a US military attaché in Israel caught fire standing at night and was burned out. Sabotage was suspected.[261]
On 26 October 1969, a Vickers 833 Viscount (4X-AVC) of Arkia crashed during a nighttime training flight and was damaged beyond repair. All three occupants survived.[262]

External links

References

Jerusalem's new high-speed train starts regular trips to Ben Gurion Airport The Times of Israel, 25 September 2018, retrieved 1 June 2019^
AD 2.5 TEL-AVIV / BEN-GURION – LLBG retrieved 18 July 2014^
Annual Report Ben Gurion International Airport 2024

Israel

20th century

Soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces captured the airport on 10 July 1948, in Operation Danny, transferring control to the newly declared State of Israel.[9] In 1948 the Israelis changed the official name of the airport from "Lod International Airport" to "Tel Aviv-Lod International Airport".[10] Flights resumed on 24 November 1948.[11] That year, 40,000 passengers passed through the terminal. By 1952, the number had risen to 100,000 a month. Within a decade, air traffic increased to the point where local flights had to be redirected to Tel Aviv's other airport, the Sde Dov airfield (SDV) on the city's northern coast. By the mid-1960s, 14 international airlines were landing at the airport.

The airport's name was changed from Lod to Ben Gurion International Airport in 1973 to honour Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, who died that year.

More buildings and runways were added over the years, but with the onset of mass immigration from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union in the 1980s and 90s, as well as the global increase of international business travel, the existing facilities became painfully inadequate, prompting the design of a new state-of-the-art terminal that could also accommodate the expected tourism influx for the 2000 millennium celebrations. The decision to go ahead with the project was reached in January 1994.

1972 terrorist incidents

While Ben Gurion Airport has been a target of terrorist-organised armed attacks, the adoption of strict security precautions has ensured that no aircraft departing from Ben Gurion airport has ever been hijacked. On the other hand, there have been two major incidents in the airport's history that were a result of foreign airliners taking off from other countries and landing at Ben Gurion Airport.

In the first incident, on 8 May 1972, four Black September terrorists hijacked a Sabena flight en route from Vienna and forced it to land at Ben Gurion airport. Sayeret Matkal commandos, including Benjamin Netanyahu, led by Ehud Barak (both future Israeli Prime Ministers) stormed the plane, killing two of the hijackers and capturing the other two. One passenger was killed.[12]

Later that month, on 30 May 1972, in an attack known as the Lod Airport massacre, 24 people were killed and 80 injured when three members of the Japanese Red Army sprayed machine gun fire into the passenger arrival area. The victims included Aharon Katzir, a prominent protein biophysicist and brother of Israel's 4th president. Those injured included a group of twenty Puerto Rican tourists who had just arrived in Israel.[13]

1972 terrorist incidents

21st century

The new terminal, known as Terminal 3, only opened its doors on 2 November 2004.[15]

During the 2014 conflict with Gaza, several airlines banned their flights to the airport for a couple of days.[16] In October 2023, with the outbreak of the Gaza war, the number of airlines that flew into the airport dropped to just 7. By February 2024, only 45 airlines flew into the airport.[17]

The furthest nonstop flight to have departed the airport was a private Airbus A340-500 owned by billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson who flew on 2 January 2017 to Honolulu on a route over the Arctic Ocean. The flight was projected to last 17 hours and 40 minutes.[18]

Ramon Airport, an international airport near the southern Israeli city of Eilat, serves as a

Terminal 3

Terminal 3, which opened on 28 October 2004,[34] replaced Terminal 1 as the main international gateway to and from Israel. The building was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM).[35][36] Moshe Safdie & Associates[37] and TRA (now Black and Veatch)[35] designed a linking structure and the airside departure areas and gates. Ram Karmi[35] and other Israeli architects were the local architects of record. The inaugural flight was an El Al flight to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City.

Work on Natbag 2000, as the Terminal 3 project was known, was scheduled for completion prior to 2000 in order to handle a massive influx of pilgrims expected for the Millennium celebrations. This deadline was not met due to higher than anticipated costs and a series of work stoppages in the wake of the bankruptcy of the main Turkish contractor. The project eventually cost an estimated one billion US dollars. Due to the proximity of the airport to the country's largest population centres and the problem of noise pollution, another international airport is being considered to be built elsewhere in the country,[38] such as the new Ilan and Assaf Ramon Airport in Southern Israel.

The overall layout of Terminal 3 is similar to that of airports in Europe and North America, with multiple levels and considerable distances to walk after disembarking from the aircraft. The walk is assisted by escalators and moving walkways. The upper level departures hall, with an area of over 10000 m2, is equipped with 110 check-in counters and as well as flight information display systems.[39] A small shopping mall, known as Buy & Bye, is open to both passengers and the general public. The mall, which includes shops, restaurants and a post office, was planned to be a draw for non-flyers too. On the same level as the mall, passengers enter passport control and the security check. Planes taking off and landing can be viewed from a distinctive tilted glass wall. The arrivals hall is located on the ground floor where there are also 20 additional check-in counters (serving Star Alliance airlines). Car rental counters are located in an intermediate level situated between the departing and arriving passenger halls. Terminal 3 has two synagogues.[40]

After the main security check, passengers wait for their flights in the star-shaped duty-free rotunda. A variety of cafes, restaurants and duty-free shops are located there, open 24 hours a day, as well as a synagogue, banking facilities, a transit hall for connecting passengers and a desk for VAT refunds.[41]

Terminal 3 has a total of 40 gates divided among four concourses (B, C, D, and E), each with 8 jet bridge-equipped gates (numbered 2 through 9), as well as two stand gates (bus bays 1 and 1A) from which passengers are ferried to aircraft. Two gates in concourse E utilize dual jet bridges for more efficient processing of very large widebody aircraft. Concourses B, C, and D were opened when terminal 3 opened in 2004, while concourse E was completed in 2018.[42] Space exists for one additional concourse (A) at Terminal 3.

Free wireless internet is provided throughout the terminal.[43][44] The terminal has three business lounges—the exclusive El Al King David Lounge for frequent flyers and three Dan lounges for either privileged or paying flyers.

In January 2007, the IAA announced plans for a 120-bed hotel to be located about 300 m west of Terminal 3.[45] The tender for the hotel was published by the IAA in late 2017.

When the terminal was built, it was said to have a capacity for up to 12 million passengers a year. In 2023, 25 million passengers are expected to pass through Ben Gurion Airport.[46]

History and development

The original layout of the airfield as designed by the British in the 1930s included four intersecting 800 m runways suitable for the piston engined aircraft of the day. However, none of this original layout is visible nowadays since as usage increased and aircraft types and needs changed over the years various runways on the airport's premises were built and removed.

The main runway (12/30) is the oldest surviving runway in the airport, with the quiet (08/26) and short (03/21) runways having been built in the late 1960s and 1970s. Since very little commercial traffic could operate on the short runway, for approximately forty years, the airport mostly relied on runways 12/30 and 08/26. This presented a problem, however: the fact that these two runways intersect near their western end creates a crisscross pattern between aircraft landing and taking off. This pattern reduces the number of aircraft which can arrive to and depart from the airport and has detrimental safety implications as well.

With passenger traffic projected to increase, plans were drawn in the 1980s and 90s for the extension of runways 03/21 and 08/26 as a means of alleviating some of Ben Gurion's safety and capacity concerns. These plans were approved in 1997 and construction began in 2010. The extension of runway 03/21 allows the airport to operate in an "open V" configuration, allowing for simultaneous landings and take offs on runways 08/26 and 03/21 and thus more than double the number of aircraft movements which can be handled at peak times, while increasing the overall level of air safety in and around the airport. Construction took four years and cost 1 billion NIS (financed from the Israeli Airports Authority budget) and was completed 29 May 2014. It included paving 22 km of runways and taxiways, using more than 1.5 million tons of asphalt, laying one million meters of runway lighting cables, 50000 m of high-voltage power lines and 10,000 light fixtures.[58] The construction of several new taxiways between the existing runways and terminals also significantly reduced taxi times at the airport.[59]

WorldBrand briefing

Global Reputation for Security

Role in Israel's Connectivity

Historical Evolution and Infrastructure

History

British Mandatory period (1934–1948)

Passenger terminals

Terminal 1

History

Development plans

Office buildings

Runways

Main runway

Quiet runway

Security procedures

Overview

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Cargo

Statistics

Ground transportation

Public transport

Service quality

Passenger rankings

Awards

Accidents and incidents

See also

External links

References

Israel

20th century

1972 terrorist incidents

1972 terrorist incidents

21st century

20th century

1972 terrorist incidents

1972 terrorist incidents

21st century

International low-cost and domestic terminal

History

International low-cost and domestic terminal

Terminal 3

Former and unopened terminals

Terminal 2

Terminal 4

Terminal 2

Terminal 4

History and development

Baggage screening

Rail

Bus or taxi

Rail

Bus or taxi

Car