Israel is one of the most popular countries among tourists. Given the huge influx of travelers from all corners of the globe and tense relations with neighbors (Israel has practically no transport connections with neighboring states due to the aggravated Arab-Israeli conflict), the only way to the coveted Promised Land passes through the sky.
How many airports in Israel?
There are 27 airports in Israel. There are 17 civilians among them. The main ones are located in Tel Aviv , Eilat , Haifa , Herzliya and Rosh Pinna . 10 airports are designed for military purposes. There are also 3 airports that are used by both military and civil aviation ( Uvda , Sde-Dov , Haifa ).
The oldest operating airport in Israel is in Haifa. It was built in 1934. The youngest is Uvda Airport, which has been operating since 1982. But very soon he will lose this status. At the end of 2017, the grand opening of a new airport in the Timna Valley region - Ramon is planned. All civil flights to Eilat will be transported here, and Udva Airport will become a purely military one.
Airports in Israel for international flights
Despite such a large number of airports in the country, only 4 of them have international status. These are the airports:
- Ben-Gurion (Central District, Lod);
- Uvda / Ovda (Southern District, 60 km from Eilat);
- Haifa (Haifa district, eastern part of the city of Haifa);
- Eilat (Southern District, Eilat Center).
The largest and most comfortable airport in Israel is Ben-Gurion (passenger traffic - more than 12 million).
After the opening in 2004 of the third terminal designed according to the latest "word of technology", this air terminal turned into a real city, where there is everything that the most exacting tourist might need:
- moving sidewalks;
- ultramodern elevators;
- car rental points;
- all conditions for people with disabilities (you can even call a special escort);
- recreation areas;
- a huge number of shops for every taste;
- room for mother and child;
- cafes, bistros, snack bars;
- interactive maps and intuitive pointers.
Between the terminals, domestic buses run constantly. From Ben Gurion you can get to any resort city in Israel. The traffic junction is carefully thought out and very convenient. At the lower level of Terminal 3 there is a railway station (you can go to Tel Aviv and Haifa ). Also on the territory of the airport there is a bus stop, through which the bus routes of the largest carrier in Israel - the company Egged. And the airport itself stands on the well-known highway "Tel Aviv - Jerusalem ". Taxis or rented cars drive you to your favorite resort in the shortest time.
The second most important international airport in Israel is Uvda . He is much more modest than Ben-Gurion (the passenger traffic is about 117,000). Initially, the airport was built for military needs, which is noticeable in terms of architecture. The building is small and not intended for congestion of a large number of people. Nevertheless, inside is quite comfortable, waiting rooms are equipped with everything you need: toilets, cafes, shops, comfortable chairs.
The airport in Haifa has a small passenger traffic (approximately 83,000) and one runway. As a rule, it is used for domestic and short-haul flights (flights to Turkey, Cyprus, Jordan).
The last airport of Israel with international status, located in the center of Eilat , very rarely serves flights to other countries. The fact is that he simply can not physically accept large liners (the runway is too small) and does not have enough infrastructure for a large flow of passengers. Therefore, this airport basically plays the role of a link between the two resort centers - Tel Aviv and Eilat.
Which cities in Israel have domestic airports?
It is not worth to waste precious time of vacation, but many tourists are tempted to visit several prominent Israeli resorts at once. This problem is also helped by internal flights, which in a few minutes will take you from one part of the country to another.
So, in which cities of Israel have airports serving domestic flights:
- Eilat (main carriers: Arkia, Israir, ELAL, the airport operates with a high load, passenger traffic is 1,300,000, mostly tourists fly);
- Tel-Aviv (Sde-Dov airport, most flights to Eilat);
- Haifa (passengers - foreign tourists traveling on excursions to Tel Aviv and Eilat);
- Rosh Pinna (the main direction of flights is Tel Aviv).
There are also airports in Herzliya, Afula , Beer Sheva , but they are rarely used by tourists. These airfields are focused on gliding, private jets, parachuting and small aircraft.
Now you know which airports are in Israel and can plan your trip in advance with maximum comfort.