By The Visit Israel Editorial Team · Last updated
Pre-book a fixed-price private transfer between Haifa Airport and your hotel in Haifa, Tel Aviv or anywhere in northern Israel. No surprises on arrival — the driver meets you in arrivals and the price is confirmed at checkout.
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German Colony boutique hotels, Mount Carmel options and city-centre guesthouses — bookable at live rates. The airport is 4 km from the city centre, making any central Haifa hotel a short taxi ride from departures.
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Israel does not extend national health coverage to foreign visitors. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance provides medical cover for tourists and long-stay visitors — particularly valuable when flying into a smaller regional airport without on-site emergency services.
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Haifa International Airport (IATA: HFA), officially Uri Michaeli Airport, sits approximately 4 km south of Haifa city centre — making it one of the most conveniently located airports relative to its city in Israel. For travellers spending time in northern Israel, flying from Haifa rather than Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv can save 90 minutes or more each way on surface travel.
The airport’s profile changed significantly in September 2024 when Air Haifa, Israel’s newest regional carrier, chose HFA as its operational hub. Air Haifa brought the first scheduled domestic and international services anchored at Haifa in years, opening up direct connections from the north to Eilat, Cyprus and the Greek islands.
Air Haifa launched in September 2024 as a scheduled regional airline based at Haifa Airport. It is the only carrier currently using HFA as a hub, and its route network is built around a straightforward proposition: let northern Israel residents fly without first driving to Tel Aviv.
Haifa (HFA) to Eilat (ETM, Ramon Airport) is Air Haifa’s core domestic route, with multiple daily frequencies. The flight time is approximately 60 minutes — compared to a 5–6 hour drive through the length of the country or an 80-minute drive to Ben Gurion plus a 50-minute TLV–ETM flight. For anyone based in Haifa, Galilee or the Golan who wants a Red Sea break, this is a meaningful time saving.
Ticket prices are competitive with other Israeli carriers on the Eilat run. Book early for the best fares — Air Haifa’s pricing follows demand, and holiday-period flights (Passover, Sukkot, school holidays) fill quickly.
Air Haifa flies international leisure routes in the summer season:
These routes are typically offered May–October. Schedules and frequencies vary year to year — always verify current routes at airhaifa.com before planning.
Air Haifa has announced a second base of operations from October 2026: Tel Aviv Ben Gurion (TLV) to Ramon Airport Eilat (ETM), with up to 10 daily departures planned. This would make Air Haifa a significant competitor on the TLV–ETM domestic corridor alongside El Al, Arkia and Israir. At the time of writing this route has been announced but not yet launched — check airhaifa.com and iaa.gov.il for confirmed launch dates and schedules.
Haifa Airport is a compact, single-terminal facility. It handles security checks, check-in and boarding for both domestic and international flights, but it is much smaller in scale than Ben Gurion.
Arrivals: passport control and customs are straightforward given the lower passenger volumes. Taxis and the Bus 23 stop are immediately outside the arrivals exit. There are no major car hire desks inside the terminal; if you need a car, collect it in the city rather than at the airport.
Departures: check-in counters for Air Haifa are in the main terminal building. Security screening applies Israeli aviation security standards — expect a security interview and bag check, similar in process to Ben Gurion but typically faster given lower volumes. Allow at least 90 minutes before departure for domestic flights and 2 hours for international flights.
Facilities: there is a café airside and a small retail kiosk landside. There is no Priority Pass lounge or business lounge at HFA. Duty-free options are limited compared to Ben Gurion — if you are looking for specific items, purchase them in Haifa city before heading to the airport.
Connectivity: the terminal has Wi-Fi and Israeli mobile networks cover the building well.
A taxi from Haifa city centre (German Colony, Hadar, Carmel area) to the airport takes 10–15 minutes and costs approximately ₪50–70 depending on traffic and the exact pickup point. Taxis are available at the airport rank and can be ordered via the Gett app or called directly. This is the most practical option for most travellers given the airport’s short distance from the city.
Bus 23 connects Haifa Airport to Haifa Central Bus Station and Merkaz HaCarmel. Journey time is approximately 20 minutes; fare is roughly ₪8. Bus 23 does not run 24 hours — check current timetables at bus.co.il before relying on it for early morning or late evening arrivals. This is the budget option, well suited for single travellers without heavy luggage.
For groups, families with luggage, or early-morning and late-night flights, a pre-booked fixed-price transfer removes the uncertainty of taxi availability. Kiwitaxi and WelcomePickups both serve Haifa Airport, allowing you to confirm the price and vehicle type before you arrive.
Flying from HFA rather than Ben Gurion makes practical sense in several situations:
Most visitors to Haifa arrive by train from Tel Aviv or by car from the north rather than by air. But if you are flying in and out of HFA, here is how Haifa integrates with wider itineraries:
From HFA, northern Israel is straightforward: Akko is 25 minutes north by car; Nazareth is 40 minutes east; Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee are 60 minutes east; Rosh Hanikra on the Lebanese border is 45 minutes north.
For the Dead Sea or Jerusalem, flying TLV–ETM and continuing overland via the Dead Sea is not relevant from HFA — but the train to Tel Aviv (55–65 minutes) remains the best connection south.
See the full Haifa travel guide for the city’s highlights: Bahá’í Gardens, German Colony, Wadi Nisnas and the Carmel ridge. The Haifa to Akko transport guide covers the short hop to the Crusader city.
Haifa International Airport (also known as Uri Michaeli Airport) carries the IATA code HFA. Do not confuse it with Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) in Tel Aviv, which handles most of Israel's international traffic, or Ramon Airport (ETM) in Eilat. If your Air Haifa ticket says 'HFA', you are departing from or arriving at the Haifa airport, approximately 4 km from Haifa city centre.
Air Haifa is the primary carrier operating from HFA. Launched in September 2024 with Haifa as its hub, it flies domestic routes to Eilat (multiple times daily) and international routes including Larnaca and Paphos in Cyprus, plus seasonal summer services to Rhodes, Crete, Karpathos and Mykonos in Greece. Check airhaifa.com for current schedules — routes evolve as the carrier grows. Arkia also operated some HFA services historically; verify current operators at iaa.gov.il/en/airports/haifa.
Haifa Airport is approximately 4 km from Haifa's city centre — one of the closest airport-to-centre distances of any Israeli airport. Options: Taxi (10–15 min, approximately ₪50–70 to the German Colony or downtown Haifa); Bus 23 from the airport to Haifa Central Bus Station and Merkaz HaCarmel (journey ~20 minutes, roughly ₪8); Private transfer (pre-book via Kiwitaxi for fixed-price pickup). The airport is significantly closer to Haifa than Ben Gurion is to Tel Aviv, making a taxi the most practical option for most travellers.
Air Haifa is an Israeli regional carrier that launched in September 2024 with Haifa International Airport (HFA) as its hub — the first airline to base operations at HFA. The airline focuses on routes that serve northern Israel travellers: domestic flights from Haifa to Eilat (so that Haifa residents and Galilee tourists don't need to drive to Ben Gurion), plus international leisure routes to Cyprus and Greece. As of late 2026, Air Haifa has announced plans to launch Tel Aviv (TLV) to Ramon Airport (Eilat, ETM) domestic routes — up to 10 daily — from October 2026. Always check airhaifa.com for current schedules and announcements.
Yes, on a limited scale. Haifa Airport has international departure gates and handles passport control and security screening for international routes. Air Haifa operates seasonal scheduled services to Cyprus (Larnaca and Paphos) and Greece (Rhodes, Crete, Karpathos, Mykonos) in the summer season. The terminal is significantly smaller than Ben Gurion — there is no Priority Pass lounge and duty-free options are limited — but the facility is comfortable and security processing tends to be quicker than at Ben Gurion due to lower passenger volumes.
If you are staying in northern Israel — Haifa, Galilee, Golan Heights, Akko, or Nazareth — flying from Haifa Airport saves you the 90-minute drive to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv each way. For a family in Haifa flying to Eilat for a Red Sea break, a direct Air Haifa HFA–ETM flight eliminates an 80-minute airport transfer entirely. Similarly, for summer holidays to Cyprus or Greek islands, Haifa departures suit travellers in the north without the Tel Aviv detour. Always compare fares — Air Haifa prices are competitive but Ben Gurion has more flights and airlines to compare.
Yes. Haifa Airport has a small car park adjacent to the terminal building. For short stays (dropping off or picking up), the car park is adequate. For multi-day parking before a flight, compare the car park fee against taxi or transfer costs — given the airport's 4 km distance from the city centre, a taxi for the outbound journey combined with a transfer on return is often the more practical option for city-centre Haifa residents.
By The Visit Israel Editorial Team · Last updated