Sde Dov Airport

The airport was closed to enable a large-scale urban redevelopment project on its valuable coastal real estate in north Tel Aviv. The decision was driven by economic factors and a long-standing government plan to use the land to build a new residential neighborhood to help alleviate a housing crisis in central Israel. The closure was the result of decades of legal and political battles and was not due to military conversion, lack of demand, or a specific accident.

The airport has been completely demolished. All infrastructure, including the runways, terminal building, control tower, and hangars, has been removed. The site is currently a massive construction zone for a new neighborhood called the 'Sde Dov Quarter'. The plan includes the construction of approximately 16,000 housing units, commercial and business centers, hotels, public parks, and a new coastal promenade.

Established in 1938 during the British Mandate, Sde Dov Airport (correct ICAO: LLSD, correct IATA: SDV) was one of Israel's first airports, named after aviation pioneer Dov Hoz. It played a critical role as a primary base for the Haganah's air service (Sherut Avir) and later the Israeli Air Force (IAF) during the 1948 War of Independence and for decades afterward. Commercially, it served as Tel Aviv's main domestic airport and was a bustling hub for flights to the southern resort city of Eilat and to northern Israel. Its prime location within the city made it extremely convenient for both business and leisure travelers. Major operators included Arkia and Israir, primarily using turboprop aircraft like the ATR-72.

There are zero prospects for the airport to reopen. The closure is permanent and the decision is irreversible. The land has been rezoned for residential and commercial use, and the multi-billion dollar redevelopment project is already in progress. All domestic flight operations that previously used Sde Dov were relocated to Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV).