Last updated on .
Ben Gurion Airport is the main international airport in Israel. It’s located on the outskirts of Lod, about 45 kilometers from Jerusalem and 20 kilometers from Tel Aviv.
Ben Gurion Airport is regarded as the world’s most secure airport and one of the best for overall passenger experience in the Middle East. It’s a hub for El Al and connects Israel with many destinations all over the world.
History
The airport opened in 1934 as Lydda Airport, a simple airstrip during the British Mandate period. After the creation of Israel, the Israelis changed the name to Lod Airport. By the 1960s, it was served by 14 international airlines. The name was changed to Ben Gurion Airport in 1973 to honor David Ben-Gurion (1886-1973), Israel’s first Prime Minister.
Arriving
Having heard horror stories from people who had flown through Ben Gurion Airport in the past, I was a little worried before arriving. Friends and family told me about interrogations by Israeli immigration officials. While some passed through without a problem, others had been detained for several hours and bombarded with ridiculous questions.
After we landed, we followed the signs to passport control. Queues were very long and it took quite a while to get through to an agent. Overall, the agent was friendly and welcoming. We found the questions to be straightforward and nothing out of the ordinary. He also gave us a small piece of paper serving as an entry card, which we were asked to hold on to until the end of our trip. The baggage claim area was just after passport control.
Transportation
We were on a group tour and had transportation arranged, but there are a few options for those who are traveling on their own. First, a high speed rail service connects passengers to Jerusalem (25 minutes) or Tel Aviv (18 minutes). The trains are run by Israel Railways and leave from Ben Gurion Airport Railway Station outside Terminal 3. It’s possible to connect to other cities in Israel on standard railway lines via Tel Aviv.
Inter-city buses, sheruts (shared taxis), regular taxis, and ride sharing services are also widely available. Trains and buses don’t operate on Shabbat or Jewish holidays.
Departing
Again, friends and family made us nervous to depart from Israel. In order to avoid suspicion from security officers, we were told not to mention some of the places in the West Bank we visited on tours. We were also told we would be treated badly and our bags would be searched thoroughly, with officers asking ridiculous or humiliating questions. None of that ever happened and we didn’t witness it with any other passengers.
When flying out of Ben Gurion Airport, there are heavy security checks to be expected. All vehicles go through a preliminary security checkpoint before entering the airport property. Once at the airport buildings, uniformed and undercover security officers are constantly patrolling and observing passengers.
Before arriving at the check-in desks, passengers are personally interviewed by agents. Our interview consisted of just a few simple questions and the agent was very friendly. Some passengers were selected for additional screening, luggage searches, or body searches.
After the interview, we were able to check in our luggage and continue to passport control, pass through security, and continue to the terminal. We were given an exit card and were never asked for our entry card. Some members of the group lost the entry card and were nervous about it, but it wasn’t a problem in the end.
Terminal 3
We left from Terminal 3, which is the main terminal for international flights. It opened on October 28, 2004, and was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
Terminal 3 features a rotunda surrounded by duty-free shops and restaurants. Halls extending from the rotunda lead to the gates. Free wireless internet is available throughout the terminal.
Experience
Overall, we had a positive experience both arriving and departing from Ben Gurion Airport. There were no horror stories to tell friends back home and no complications. I actually had a better experience there than several times entering the United States. In the end, it wasn’t worth losing any sleep over potential problems entering and leaving the country. I’ll expect the same experience on my next trip to Israel.
