If you were asked to guess which foreign airline flew the most passengers at Ben Gurion Airport in July, you would likely think of Wizz Air, Etihad, or perhaps one of the major European airlines.
However, the data from July presents a significant surprise.
The Greek airline Blue Bird Airways soared to fourth place at Ben Gurion Airport, right after the three Israeli companies – El Al, Israir, and Arkia.
The airline flew approximately 173.1 thousand passengers during the month, achieving a market share of about 7.5% of the airport’s activity.
In doing so, it managed to surpass well-known international companies, including Wizz Air and Etihad.
Three Israeli Companies – Then Blue Bird
The ranking illustrates how much the aviation market in Israel has changed in recent years.
The three companies ahead of Blue Bird are El Al, Israir, and Arkia, which continue to hold a very significant portion of passenger traffic in Israel.
But right after them now stands a company that, on paper, is not Israeli at all.
Blue Bird is a Greek airline based in Heraklion, Crete, but behind it stands the Israeli tourism group “Kavei Chufsha“.
This creates an interesting situation: officially, it is a foreign airline, but its connection to the Israeli market is much deeper than that of a regular international airline.
And It’s Not Just One Month
The July figure is impressive in itself, but the picture strengthens when looking at the entire year of 2026.
From the beginning of the year until the end of July, Blue Bird flew approximately 340.8 thousand passengers through Ben Gurion Airport.
Even in cumulative calculation, it ranks fourth, with a market share of about 4%.
This means it is not just a particularly busy day or a sudden spike in flights; the company has managed to establish a significant presence in the Israeli market.
So How Did Blue Bird Get There?
Part of the explanation lies in what happened to Israeli aviation since the outbreak of the war.
When many foreign companies repeatedly stopped their flights to Israel due to the security situation, Blue Bird continued to operate for much of the period, except for specific pauses.
This relative stability made it a more familiar option among Israeli passengers, precisely at a time when major international brands disappeared from Ben Gurion’s flight schedule for extended periods.
Also, TUS Airways from Cyprus is currently owned by the Kavei Chufsha group, further strengthening the group’s aviation activity in the region.
Wizz Air No Longer Automatically at the Top
For years, Wizz Air became one of the most recognizable names for low-cost flights from Ben Gurion, and at certain times it was among the most dominant foreign companies in Israel.
However, the July data shows how quickly the aviation map can change.
A much smaller company in international terms managed in one month to fly more passengers from Ben Gurion than the Hungarian low-cost giant, positioning itself right after El Al, Israir, and Arkia.
And What Does It Mean for Passengers?
Beyond the achievement of one company or another, the competition for the top spots at Ben Gurion is also important for the Israeli consumer.
As more companies increase their activity, add frequencies, and offer seats to destinations popular with Israelis, passenger choice options expand.
Blue Bird’s data also shows that the world’s large and well-known brands do not necessarily hold the largest share of the Israeli market today.
At least in July 2026, after the three major Israeli companies, the next name on the list was indeed Blue Bird Airways.
The data and information are based on a publication in Calcalist and passenger traffic data at Ben Gurion Airport.
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