Israelis put voting first as overseas travel declines ahead of election, data shows

Israelis are postponing vacations and business trips, while others are returning from abroad to vote in Tuesday's Knesset elections, Channel 13 reported Sunday, citing Ben-Gurion Airport data that shows a significant shift in passenger traffic.

The figures indicate that far fewer Israelis are leaving the country ahead of the October 27 election than in corresponding periods in previous years, while incoming passengers increasingly outnumber those departing.

A comparison of airport traffic between October 17 and 27 in 2022, 2025, and 2026 points to a decline in outbound travel, suggesting that many Israelis consider the upcoming election important enough to change their travel plans.

According to the Channel 13 report, approximately 245,000 passengers were recorded as departing Israel during the period under examination in 2026, compared with 270,000 in 2025, following the end of the war, and 323,000 in 2022, when Israel last held a general election.

The decline is particularly notable because travelers now have access to more aircraft and flights than in previous years.

Incoming passenger traffic presents a different picture. Although no large-scale airlift of special flights was organized to bring voters back to Israel, and arrivals have largely relied on existing aviation infrastructure, the number of passengers entering the country has significantly exceeded departures.

According to the figures cited by Channel 13, the difference between incoming and outgoing passengers has surpassed 90,000 in 2026, compared with a gap of approximately 77,000 during the corresponding period in 2025.

Entering passengers could be equivalent to two Knesset seats in election

The growing difference could carry political significance in an election where relatively small changes in voter turnout may affect the distribution of Knesset seats.

Channel 13 estimated that 90,000 people would be equivalent to approximately two Knesset seats if they were eligible voters who cast valid ballots.

However, the passenger figures do not establish how many people returned specifically to vote. They also include children and foreign nationals ineligible to participate in Israeli elections.

Israel's electoral threshold is 3.25% of valid votes, so small shifts in turnout could affect whether parties close to the threshold secure representation in the next Knesset.

The increased interest in returning to Israel the vote aligns with a recent Fly&Vote survey, which estimated that about 67,000 Israelis living abroad intended to travel to Israel to vote. The estimate drew on registration data and a voluntary survey, not confirmed arrivals.

Unlike in many other countries, most Israeli citizens living abroad cannot vote remotely and must return to Israel to cast their ballots. The Fly&Vote initiative, run by the AID Coalition, has tried to help overseas Israelis with the process, but its activities were restricted after legal proceedings initiated by Likud.

Ben-Gurion's grandson returns from US to cast ballot

Among those traveling to Israel specifically to vote is Alon Ben-Gurion, grandson of Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion.

Ben-Gurion arrived in Israel from the United States with his family and traveled to Tiberias to vote, according to Channel 13.

His arrival illustrates the efforts some Israelis living overseas are making to participate in the election.

Interest in traveling to Israel for the vote had already been evident in August, when organizers arranged dedicated flights from New York and Lisbon to accommodate demand among overseas Israelis.

Under Israel's electoral system, the 120 Knesset seats are distributed proportionally among parties that cross the electoral threshold. Consequently, additional votes from returning Israelis could influence the final seat distribution, though the impact will depend on how those votes are divided among parties.