How to Navigate Ben Gurion Airport in Hebrew

Ben Gurion Airport is Israel's main international gateway, and it's also one of the most security-intense airports in the world. Knowing a few Hebrew phrases won't dramatically change your experience (most staff speak English), but it will help you move through faster, understand signs, and feel less like a bewildered tourist. Here's the airport kit.

Key airport vocabulary

• Sde ha-te'ufa (שְׂדֵה הַתְּעוּפָה), airport. Literally "field of flying".
• Sde Ben Gurion, Ben Gurion Airport. Everyone calls it this.
• Matos, airplane.
• Tisa, flight. Mispar tisa, flight number.
• Sha'ar, gate.
• Yetziah, departure.
• Hagaah, arrival.
• Bikoret darkonim, passport control.
• Bikoret bitachon, security check.
• Mizvadah, suitcase.

Check-in vocabulary

• Check-in, check-in (same as English, commonly used).
• Darkon, passport.
• Kartis tisa, boarding pass.
• Turist, economy class. Asakim, business class.
• Odef, excess (as in mishkal odef, excess baggage weight).

At the check-in desk, most staff will speak English. A polite "shalom, boker tov" still earns warmth.

Security (the big one)

Ben Gurion is famous for thorough security questioning. Before you even check in, you'll likely be stopped by a security officer who'll ask you a series of questions in English. You can answer in English. But knowing what they're asking in Hebrew can help:

• Me'ayin ata magi'a?, where are you coming from?
• Le'an ata nosea?, where are you going?
• Ma matrat ha-tisa?, what's the purpose of the trip?
• Im mi ata metayel?, who are you traveling with?
• Eifo hayita ba-aretz?, where were you in Israel?
• Kama zman haytah ba-aretz?, how long were you in Israel?
• Mi araz et ha-mizvada shelcha?, who packed your suitcase?

Answer honestly and in simple, direct sentences. Don't over-explain, and don't joke about security. Israeli security staff are trained to spot inconsistencies, and calm, direct answers move you through faster.

At the gate

• Ha'aala ba-sha'ar mispar..., boarding at gate number...
• Eichur ba-tisa, flight delay.
• Tisa mevutelet, flight canceled.
• Matai ani magi'a?, when do I arrive?

Arriving: passport control

When you land at Ben Gurion, you'll go through passport control. Most people don't even need to speak, because Israel stopped stamping passports and instead issues a small paper slip that you need to keep for the duration of your visit. Phrases just in case:

• Tayar, tourist.
• Ani ba le-shishah yamim, I'm here for six days.
• Ani mitkannen le-bikur be-Tel Aviv ve-Yerushalayim, I'm planning to visit Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
• Ein li tochnit le-avoda, I have no plans to work.

Baggage claim and customs

• Kabalat mizvadot, baggage claim.
• Ha-mizvada sheli lo higi'a, my suitcase didn't arrive.
• Mekhes, customs.
• Ein li ma le-hatzhir, I have nothing to declare.

Getting out of the airport

Ben Gurion has several transportation options to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem:

• Rakevet, train. The cheapest and fastest option to Tel Aviv (under 20 minutes) and Jerusalem (about 30 minutes).
• Monit, taxi. Fixed rates to most cities.
• Sheruit, shared taxi. Cheaper than a regular taxi if you don't mind waiting for it to fill up.
• Autobus, bus. Budget option.

The train station is inside the terminal, just follow the signs. You'll need a Rav Kav card or a contactless credit card to board.

One security tip

Israeli security is thorough but efficient. Don't pack anything that'll look suspicious (long wires, mystery powders), and be ready to explain what's in your bag. A calm, friendly demeanor gets you through much faster than any Hebrew phrase ever will.

For more travel vocabulary with audio, our phrases section has sentences you can use in real situations, and our topics pages cover travel-related words.

Ben Gurion is a smooth airport once you know the rhythm. Shalom, show your passport, and you're in.