Where Did We Fly the Most? Leading Countries and Destinations from Ben Gurion Airport in 2025
The year 2025 was a record-breaking year at Ben Gurion Airport with over 18.4 million passengers on international flights, marking an impressive 33% increase compared to the previous year. Where did most passengers fly to? These are the countries that topped the list, and these are the cities that became the most beloved destinations for Israelis.
✈️ Countries Most Visited by Israelis in 2025
According to the annual report of the Israel Airports Authority on Ben Gurion Airport, Greece maintained the top spot on the list of destinations with more than 2.28 million passengers – a 25% increase compared to the previous year. The United States ranked second with about 1.65 million passengers, followed by the United Arab Emirates, which recorded a particularly sharp increase of over 71% compared to 2024.
Leading Countries
In first place is Greece, with more than 2.28 million passengers flying there throughout the year – a 25% increase compared to 2024.
In second place is the United States with about 1.65 million passengers – an increase of almost 25%.
Following in third place is the United Arab Emirates with about 1.52 million passengers, a sharp increase of over 71%.
In fourth place stands Italy with over 1.26 million passengers.
And in fifth place is Cyprus – with a very similar number of about 1.26 million passengers.
Following them on the list are France (over a million passengers), Georgia (about 900,000), Germany (about 850,000), Hungary (about 748,000), and the United Kingdom (about 726,000).
Most Popular Cities
Athens is the number one destination for 2025, with more than 1.17 million passengers – an increase of over 21% compared to the previous year.
In second place is Dubai, with about 1.1 million passengers, a remarkable increase of nearly 49%.
In third place: Larnaca, with about 1.01 million passengers.
Following are Paris (Charles de Gaulle) with about 791,000 passengers, Budapest with about 744,000, New York JFK with about 669,000 passengers, Rome with about 642,000, Newark with about 532,000, Bucharest with about 529,000, and Prague with over 520,000 passengers.
Notable Trends: The Comeback of the Emirates and the Boom to Eastern Europe
One of the standout data points in the report is the sharp increase in the number of passengers to the United Arab Emirates, especially to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Georgia, Romania, Czech Republic, and Hungary also show significant growth – indicating the strengthening of relatively affordable destinations and the accessibility of short vacations for Israelis.
Simultaneously, destinations like London Heathrow are actually recording a decrease (-8.83%), possibly due to the partial cessation of operations by some British airlines or rising prices.
A Year of Records and Changes
The data reveals a clear trend where Israelis continue to fly in large numbers, focusing on nearby destinations, short vacations, and convenient direct flights. The combination of opening new routes, low-cost airlines, and a recovering tourism market has led to an exceptional year.
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