Ben Gurion July 2026: Challenge Soars in Freighters, El Al Rules Belly Cargo

The Israel Airports Authority report for July 2026 revealed a fascinating snapshot of the air freight industry: while overall activity at Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) remained stable with 33,591 tons of cargo and mail (a slight decrease of 5.5% compared to July last year), sharp fluctuations were recorded beneath the surface.

Amid challenges in maritime supply chain resilience and strong demand, particularly in imports, dedicated freighters have become the market's primary engine, accounting for 25,471 tons, or approximately 75.8% of all cargo passing through Israel.

Regarding import versus export activity, since the beginning of the year, transport volumes at Ben Gurion Airport have crossed the 198,000-ton mark. July data indicates an interesting phenomenon: while belly cargo exports in passenger aircraft contracted by 22%, belly cargo imports jumped by 8% to 4,296 tons—a figure indicating the gradual return of international passenger lines and the strategic utilization of belly capacity.

Challenge's Market Share and the Surge of Foreign Carriers

In the dedicated freighter arena, Challenge Group presented unprecedented record performance. The company recorded an exceptional monthly surge of 33.4%, transporting 10,670 tons in July alone, capturing a massive 41.9% market share of all freighter aircraft. Since the start of the year, Challenge has crossed the 59.5-thousand-ton threshold.

Other notable performers in this sector included Georgian Airlines, which showed a meteoric rise of 174.8% (731 tons), and Ethiopian Airlines with a 26.2% increase.

In the passenger aircraft arena, El Al continues to hold the lion's share with approximately 68% (5,529 tons in July and 29.5 thousand tons year-to-date). However, foreign players are beginning to make inroads and record impressive growth: Air Europa saw a phenomenal jump of 94.6% (325 tons), Etihad Airways surged by 45.8% in July (and nearly 300% cumulatively since the start of the year!), and local carrier Arkia showed healthy growth of 18.5% last month and a 148% jump year-to-date.

Belgium and China Lead: Where is Israel's Cargo Coming From?

An analysis of freighter shipping maps shows an absolute dependence on three main hubs: Belgium (primarily through the Liège logistics hub) led the list with 5,967 tons in July (23.4%), China recorded an exceptional surge of 64.5% reaching 5,282 tons (20.7%), and Germany ranked third with 4,947 tons (19.4%). These three countries together control over 63% of Israel's total dedicated freighter cargo transport.

Top 10 Cargo Companies in Dedicated Freighters:

Top 10 Cargo Companies in Passenger Aircraft (Belly Cargo):