Annual number of departures abroad of Israeli citizens from Israel 2014-2023

In 2023, border authorities registered over nine million international departures of Israeli citizens. This was a moderate increase from the previous year, and the highest rate since 2019. During the observed period, the number of departures consistently increased, until a sharp down turn in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. The number of departures fell to about 1.5 million that year. 

Flights most preferred way to travel

Flying remains the most popular mode of travel for Israelis traveling abroad, as travel by land is limited to visits to Egypt or Jordan. In 2023, just over 3 million Israeli travelers traveled abroad by air. By comparison, the total number of travelers who left the country by land and sea was approximately one million. This is also evident in the high levels of spending on online flight bookings. This spending reached over 2.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2023.

New destinations after the Abraham Accords

The Abraham Accords, signed in 2020 between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, led not only to the normalization of diplomatic relations between the countries, but also to the launch of direct flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai. Israelis are eagerly exploring these new destinations following marketing campaigns and due to their luxury offerings. More than 239,000 Israelis traveled to Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2022 alone.