Ben-Gurion Airport sees passenger surge ahead of Knesset vote

Ben-Gurion Airport recorded a net gain of more than 90,000 passengers between October 17 and 27, 2026, as Israelis traveled home for the upcoming Knesset election. This figure contrasts with the roughly 77,000 net increase recorded during the same period in 2025.

Departures from Israel dropped to approximately 245,000 during this ten-day window. Channel 13 reported that this number was lower than the roughly 270,000 departures seen in 2025 and the 323,000 recorded in 2022. The decrease occurred despite an increase in available aircraft and flight schedules compared to previous years.

Arrivals to the country exceeded departures without the use of dedicated special flights. Most returning citizens utilized existing commercial aviation capacity. The station estimated that if all 90,000 net arrivals were eligible voters casting valid ballots, the number would equate to roughly two seats in the 120-seat Knesset. The data includes children and foreign nationals, so the actual voting impact remains lower than the total passenger count.

The shift in turnout may influence parties near the 3.25% electoral threshold required to win seats. Seats are distributed proportionally among parties that clear this line, meaning small changes in voter participation can determine which parties secure representation.

A survey by the Fly&Vote initiative estimated that about 67,000 Israelis living abroad planned to return for the vote. That organization, run by the AID Coalition, faced restricted activities after legal proceedings initiated by Likud. Most citizens abroad cannot vote remotely and must return to cast ballots.

Alon Ben-Gurion, grandson of the state's first prime minister, arrived from the United States with his family. He traveled to Tiberias to vote, according to Channel 13. Demand for return flights was high enough in August that organizers arranged dedicated flights from New York and Lisbon to serve voters overseas.