Ben-Gurion Airport logs 90,000-pax net inflow ahead of Tuesday vote

Israelis are altering their travel plans to ensure they are in the country for the Knesset elections scheduled for Tuesday, October 27. This shift in behavior is visible in the passenger data collected at Ben-Gurion Airport over the last ten days.

Channel 13 reported that approximately 245,000 passengers departed Israel between October 17 and 27, 2026. That figure is lower than the 270,000 departures recorded in the same period in 2025 and the 323,000 recorded in 2022. The data suggests that fewer Israelis are leaving the country now compared to previous general election cycles, despite an increase in available flights.

The gap between incoming and outgoing passengers has widened considerably in 2026. The net difference now exceeds 90,000 people, surpassing the 77,000 gap seen in 2025. This net inflow occurred without a coordinated airlift of special flights, relying instead on the existing commercial aviation infrastructure to bring voters home.

The numerical shift carries political weight in a proportional representation system. Channel 13 estimated that 90,000 eligible voters would equate to roughly two Knesset seats. This estimate is relevant because the electoral threshold for entering the 120-seat parliament is 3.25% of valid votes. Small changes in turnout can determine whether parties hovering near that threshold secure representation.

The passenger counts include children and foreign nationals who cannot vote, so the exact number of returning voters remains an estimate. However, a recent survey by the Fly&Vote initiative estimated that about 67,000 Israelis living abroad intended to return for the ballot. Most overseas citizens cannot vote remotely and must be physically present in Israel to cast their ballots.

Notable among those returning is Alon Ben-Gurion, the grandson of Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion. He arrived from the United States with his family and traveled to Tiberias to vote. His journey mirrors the broader trend of overseas residents prioritizing their civic duty over planned leisure trips.

Organizers had already noticed the demand in August, when they arranged dedicated flights from New York and Lisbon to accommodate travelers. The Fly&Vote project, run by the AID Coalition, has assisted with the process, though its activities faced restrictions after legal proceedings initiated by the Likud party.