Ben Gurion International Airport (Hebrew: נמל התעופה הבינלאומי בן גוריון; Arabic: مطار بن غوريون الدولي) (IATA: TLV, ICAO: LLBG), often referred to as Natbag (נתב״ג), is Israel’s main international airport, located near Lod, about 19 km southeast of Tel Aviv. It is operated by the Israel Airports Authority and serves as the primary hub for EL AL, Arkia, Israir, and SunD’OR.
The airport traces its origins to 1936, when the British Mandate authorities built it as Wilhelma Airport; during World War II it became RAF Lydda, serving as a major transport base. After being captured by Israeli forces in 1948, it was renamed Lod Airport and resumed civilian operations, later being renamed in honor of David Ben‑Gurion. Since then it has grown to become Israel’s most important aviation hub.
In 2024, Ben Gurion Airport handled 14,532,608 passengers on 108,563 flights, according to the Israel Airports Authority. International passenger traffic that year was 13,879,671. In March 2025, the airport saw 1,427,487 passengers on 10,880 flights, with international traffic up more than 50% year‑on‑year. In April 2025, the airport handled 1,894,143 passengers on 13,919 flights. In August 2025, Ben Gurion Airport recorded a post‑conflict monthly peak of 2,265,324 passengers; on a single day that month nearly 88,000 people passed through the airport.
The airport has three runways: runway 08/26 is 4,062 m long and supports wide‑body, long‑haul aircraft; runway 12/30 is 3,112 m; and runway 03/21 is 2,772 m, primarily used for lighter aircraft operations.
Ben Gurion Airport is undergoing major modernization. A 3,900 m² plaza in Terminal 3 opened in 2025, featuring 22 new check‑in counters, advanced security screening, and updated baggage handling systems. A larger expansion project, valued at approximately NIS 310 million, will add about 7,000 m² across four floors in Terminal 3 along with a new passenger gate. Expansion plans also include upgrades to border control areas, a new entrance for arriving passengers, and a larger duty-free and dining zone.
Passenger flows are also being reconfigured: as of October 2025, domestic flights that used Terminal 1 have been moved to Terminal 3.
Long-term capacity challenges are anticipated. Projections suggest that by 2040, Ben Gurion Airport could reach its maximum capacity of around 40 million passengers annually, sparking discussions about building a second international airport or otherwise expanding the country’s aviation infrastructure.