JERUSALEM, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Passenger traffic at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport rose by 28.35 percent in the first half of 2025, compared to the same period last year, according to a report released by the Israel Airports Authority (IAA) on Tuesday.
According to the IAA, a total of 7.7 million passengers on 57,787 international flights passed through the airport between January and June, up from 6 million passengers on 44,443 flights during the same period in 2024.
The increase follows the gradual return of international airlines to Israel, spurred by a ceasefire with Hezbollah along the Lebanese border in November 2024 and a temporary truce in Gaza reached in January.
On the other hand, the report also noted a sharp year-on-year decline in passenger volume for the month of June, due to the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran. Passenger traffic for June 2025 fell by 41.4 percent, with approximately 833,000 travelers passing through the airport, compared to 1.42 million in June 2024.
Athens was the most popular destination, with nearly 563,000 passengers traveling to the Greek capital. Other leading destinations included Dubai, New York City, Larnaca, and Paris.
