A new VIP lounge opened Monday in Terminal 3 at Ben Gurion Airport. Behind the lounge are Layam, part of Teddy Sagi Group, and Jetex of the United Arab Emirates, which operates luxury lounges and private aviation terminals in more than 40 destinations worldwide.
The lounge, spanning 250 square meters in the duty-free area near the synagogue, offers, among other things, an Israeli menu led by chef Eitan Mizrahi, desserts by Israeli pastry chef Dudu Outmezgine, work and rest areas, and a beverage bar. Passengers who are not eligible for free entry will be able to enter for $100 per person. It is the first of two new lounges the companies will operate in Terminal 3; the second, covering 370 square meters, is expected to open in the coming months.
Who can enter the lounge? Premium-class passengers and eligible loyalty club members may do so free of charge. Holders of American Express premium cards are also eligible for free entry, upon presentation of the physical card and not through a digital wallet. Guest entry will be available according to the terms detailed on the American Express website. This is part of an exclusive credit card agreement between American Express and Jetex.
Passengers in business class on foreign airlines operating at Ben Gurion Airport, including Etihad, British Airways and Air France, also may enter free of charge. Additional strategic customers eligible for entry include members of the Israel Medical Association and other institutional bodies that maintain long-term partnerships with the group.
At the same time, ONE ZERO Bank is expanding its ONE Travel benefits package for customers flying abroad, offering up to three lounge entries a year in Israel and around the world through the accumulation of a monthly $10 credit, up to $120 a year. The benefit can be redeemed at lounges at Ben Gurion Airport and at about 1,400 lounges worldwide, including for spouses, family members or friends.
For passengers who are not eligible for free entry, admission to the new lounge will cost $100 per person.
The lounge’s interior design was led by Michael Azoulay Studio and Yaara Gooner, architect of Teddy Sagi Group, who is responsible, among other things, for the design language of the group’s properties worldwide, including the Camden Market project in London. The design is based on warm earth tones, natural materials and soft lighting, combining wood, stone and brass alongside greenery. Diagonal lines were used in the ceiling and carpentry to create a sense of movement and continuity, and to give the space a more open feel.
Welcome to Jetex and Layam's new VIP lounge at Ben Gurion Airport
(Photo: Alon Barhoum)
(Photo: Alon Barhoum)
( Photo: Alon Barhoum)
(Photo: Alon Barhoum)
(Photo: Alon Barhoum)
The culinary side is led by chef Eitan Mizrahi, currently chef of the Yacht Hotel from the Fattal Limited Edition luxury collection, who previously served for more than a decade as chef of the Royal Beach Hotel in Tel Aviv. The lounge menu draws inspiration from Israeli cuisine. The dessert bar will regularly offer desserts by pastry chef Dudu Outmezgine. Alongside these, Nespresso coffee and a bar with a variety of international alcohol brands will be offered.
The lounge includes work corners and rest areas, charging outlets at every seat and high-speed Wi-Fi, as well as areas separated by partitions for privacy. Business meetings also can be held there. At the same time, Layam and Jetex are setting up a digital customer club that will allow passengers to order services, track flight times and accumulate benefits even before arriving at the airport.
Jetex and Layam won a tender last year from the Israel Airports Authority to operate two lounges at Ben Gurion Airport, after beating Fattal Group and the Belgian company Aviapartner. The operating rights were granted for six years, with an option to extend for an additional three years. In 2025, activity at the luxury lounges at Ben Gurion Airport generated more than 85 million shekels ($28.3 million).
“We are proud to bring to Ben Gurion Airport an innovative hospitality concept that puts the passenger at the center," Sharon Agubel and Itai Lev, co-CEOs of Layam, said in a statement. "We listened to passengers and built exactly what they asked for — a beautiful and comfortable space, international-standard facilities and light, tasty and high-quality food. We are committed to giving our customers the best conditions on their way abroad, while combining luxury with uncompromising service.”
Alongside the new lounge, Fattal Terminal, the private terminal that recently underwent an upgrade with an investment of about half a million shekels, also operates at Ben Gurion Airport. Unlike the lounge, the service includes handling check-in, security screening, passport control and baggage, as well as transportation to and from the aircraft. Prices start at $545 plus VAT for the first passenger and gradually decrease for additional passengers in the same group.