A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran cleared the way for Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) to restart regular departures on June 24, ending an eleven-day scramble for alternate exits. Travelers who had resorted to land crossings into Jordan and Egypt can now depart by air, although carriers and consular officials warn that schedules remain fluid. With the ceasefire only hours old, aviation authorities are operating on a heightened alert, and airlines are adding capacity by the day rather than on fixed timetables. Ben Gurion Airport is open-yet no one is calling the crisis over.
Key Points
- Ben Gurion Airport resumed full passenger operations at 06:00 local time June 24.
- Delta has suspended TLV service through Aug. 31; United targets July 2.
- Early outbound seats sold out in minutes, prioritizing citizens and tour groups.
- Why it matters: Airlift is the safest, fastest way out during Middle East flare-ups.
- Experts say leisure demand will stay muted until the ceasefire proves durable.
Ben Gurion Airport Reopening Snapshot How It Works
Israel's primary gateway handles more than 90 percent of inbound and outbound air traffic. When fighting closed the airspace on June 13, regularly scheduled flights ceased, and evacuation options hinged on charter permissions and diplomatic clearances. The Civil Aviation Authority coordinated rolling slots with Israel's Home Front Command, giving priority to wide-body aircraft that could lift the most people in the fewest movements. After radar repairs and runway inspections on June 23, the authority triggered a three-phase restart: cargo first, followed by limited passenger departures capped at 50 travelers, then full commercial service beginning June 24. Real-time updates flow through a joint operations center staffed by El Al, ground-handler Maman, and military liaison officers.
Ben Gurion Airport Background Brief Why Add It
International carriers began returning to Tel Aviv in early 2024 after the Israel-Hamas War, only to suspend service again when Israel struck Iranian nuclear facilities on June 13 2025. Tehran's drone-and-missile retaliation prompted an immediate airspace closure and drove thousands of visitors to land crossings. Emergency buses ferried more than 2,000 travelers to Amman and Sharm el-Sheikh between June 16 and 23. Insurance premiums spiked, and flight crews required fortified layover hotels outside Tel Aviv's central district. The hastily negotiated ceasefire, announced late on June 23, allowed the aviation regulator to reopen skies-yet officials stress the truce could unravel.
Ben Gurion Airport Latest Developments
An initial wave of departures has eased the backlog, but capacity remains thin.
Departure surge taxes ground staff
Airport authorities processed 22,000 outbound passengers on June 24-about half the pre-conflict daily volume. Extra screening lines and document-check tables kept queues manageable, yet travelers reported two-hour waits at passport control. Consular officers from the United States, Canada, and several EU nations staffed a pop-up assistance desk near Gate D7, guiding citizens to repatriation seats.
Airlines restart in phases
El Al restored a skeleton European schedule within twelve hours of reopening and aims for 80 percent of pre-crisis capacity by mid-July. Delta extended its suspension through August 31, citing safety-audit timelines. United expects a July 2 relaunch, subject to on-the-ground security confirmations. Low-cost carrier EasyJet has yet to file new timetables. Data provider OAG shows international seat supply at just 30 percent of last year's first-week-of-July figure, underscoring limited options for late-booking travelers.
Ceasefire remains fragile
Senior Israeli defense officials told Reuters that "confidence-building steps" will be judged over several days before lowering threat levels, warning that incoming rocket fire would trigger another immediate closure. The U.S. State Department continues to discourage non-essential travel, and most insurers keep war-risk surcharges in place until at least mid-July.
Analysis
Reopening Ben Gurion Airport restores the primary escape route for visitors, but it does not signal a quick tourism rebound. Airlines will expand cautiously, using load factors and threat assessments to guide capacity decisions. Advisors say clients who reached Israel during the lull between wars now want prompt departures, not new itineraries. Longer term, the airport's swift restart proves that robust contingency planning can clear outbound travelers within days-a factor that may reassure future groups once the truce is tested by time. Still, leisure travelers are unlikely to commit until multiple carriers publish stable schedules, insurers ease surcharges, and the ceasefire holds for weeks, not hours. Travel professionals should monitor updates via Israel's Civil Aviation Authority and our Middle East travel alerts page, while travelers should keep reservations changeable and maintain medical evacuation coverage.
Final Thoughts
Ben Gurion Airport is flying again, and stranded travelers finally have a direct way home. Anyone holding future tickets should verify flight status daily, allow extra time at security, and register travel plans with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. If the ceasefire endures, airlines will restore more seats, and insurers will pull back premiums. Until then, flexibility and vigilance remain the watchwords at Ben Gurion Airport.