As reported by Passport News, the annual summary of traffic at Ben Gurion Airport for 2021 came to just 6,088,107 passengers, compared with 24,035,865 who passed through in 2019. The top airlines at Ben Gurion in 2021 were El Al, Ryanair and Israir.
This article was first published at the start of 2022 and reflects the figures for 2021, a year still shaped by Covid.
The top airlines at Ben Gurion in 2021: the ten biggest
The podium
1. El Al led the year with 23% of all passengers at the airport, carrying 1,401,014 people.
2. Ryanair, the low-cost champion, took second place. Not such a surprise when fares sometimes start at $5 each way. It carried 512,396 passengers, 8.41% of the total.
3. Israir came third, having kept flying hard through the biggest Covid waves at the height of the crisis. It carried 363,653 passengers, or 5.97%.
Places four to ten
- 4. Turkish Airlines: 358,636 passengers, 5.89% of the total. The airline is also strong on connecting flights through Turkey.
- 5. United Airlines: 345,422 passengers, 5.67%, on the back of strong routes to US destinations.
- 6. Wizz Air: the Hungarian low-cost carrier flew 267,310 passengers, 4.39%.
- 7. Pegasus: the Turkish airline carried 222,636 passengers, 3.65%.
- 8. Arkia: 219,745 passengers, 3.60%.
- 9. easyJet: 211,763 passengers, 3.47%.
- 10. Lufthansa: 182,381 passengers, 2.99%.
Here is hoping the numbers climb back to where they were in earlier years.
Flying with one of the low-cost carriers? See our guides to Ryanair baggage and seating and Wizz Air baggage, seating and ticket types.
Flight Hunter | Follow the Flight Hunter status | Join the group for updates
Some of the figures are from the Passport News website.
