Eilat Ramon International Airport, which opened in 2019, allows visitors to reach Eilat from within Israel and abroad in the quickest way possible. The airport is a mere 20-min ride away from the city center and serves the many tourists who come to vacation in Israel's vacation capital.
Eilat Ramon International Airport (code ETM) opened on January 21, 2019. The second largest airport in the country after Ben-Gurion Internation Airport (TLV), it is named for the late Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut in space, and his late son Assaf, an Israel Air Force pilot whose plane crashed in the Hebron Hills. Israel's southernmost airport is located in the southern Arava Valley, near the village of Be'er Ora, some 20 km from Eilat. It is easily accessed via Rte. 90.
The airport features duty free shops selling alcohol, sweets, books, music, cosmetics, and beauty products, as well as three cafés and a Burger King. ATMs are located in the arrivals halls near Entrances 33-34 where newcomers can withdraw cash in the local currency (New Israeli Shekel, abbreviated NIS).
There are four parking lots outside the terminal building – for the public, taxis, employees, and car rental agencies. Parking fees at the parking lot located in front of the terminal (Gates 32-22) is NIS 5 an hour and NIS 25 a day. There are two bus terminals for visitors' convenience: the Timna Terminal on the north side, for incoming visitors, and the Evrona Terminal on the south side, for outgoing passengers. Public transportation to Eilat is operated by the Egged Bus Company. Information about schedules, routes, and ticket prices may be found at the company's website. A cab stand is located just outside the airport terminal. All cabs operate according to the price control order issued by Israel's Ministry of Transportation. The charge for travel between Eilat Ramon International Airport and the city is determined by the cab's meter reading.
Passengers enjoy free WiFi throughout the terminal, which also offers first aid and adapted facilities for travelers with special needs, in accordance with Israel's People with Disabilities Law and subject to the accessibility standard practiced in Israel. Arkia and Israir, two Israeli airline companies, operate flights from Eilat to Tel Aviv and Haifa. Several foreign companies, including Wizz Air, ASL, Ryanair, and Lufthansa, offer direct flights from Eilat to European destinations, such as Moscow, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Milano, Berlin, Budapest, and more.
