en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Israel Airports Authority (IAA) has issued a public tender for the expansion of Terminal 3 at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, planning to add a new eastern passenger terminal covering approximately 50,000 square meters and a two-story underground baggage handling and security facility of about 20,000 square meters.
According to the tender documents, the expansion will accommodate new airline check-in areas, restaurants, offices, and commercial spaces, aiming to enhance processing capacity and improve passenger experience. The project still requires planning approval before construction can commence.
The tender, published on July 1, defines the expansion as the eastern extension of Terminal 3 and specifies that the contract will be awarded through a single-stage procurement process. The documents emphasize that construction must not begin until a building permit is obtained.
Since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Gaza war, Tel Aviv's aviation operations have faced multiple disruptions as foreign airlines suspended services due to security concerns. Earlier this year, following Israeli and U.S. strikes that triggered retaliatory missile attacks from Iran, the airport encountered further operational challenges, including temporary airspace closures, mass flight cancellations, and operational restrictions.
Israel has gradually reopened its airspace after the ceasefire, but many international airlines remain cautious about resuming operations. According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, Ben Gurion Airport is scheduled to offer approximately 1.32 million departing seats in July 2026, a roughly 29% increase from about 1.03 million seats in July 2025. However, this recovery is primarily driven by Israeli domestic carriers.
El Al Israel Airlines remains the largest carrier at the airport, planning to offer approximately 425,000 departing seats in July 2026; Israir and Arkia each plan to offer about 181,000 seats.
For comparison, Ben Gurion Airport had approximately 1.49 million departing seats in July 2023, after which international airlines began withdrawing services following the outbreak of the Gaza war. Capacity dropped sharply in 2024 and remained largely flat for most of 2025.
