This spring, I took a memorable trip that involved connecting through three countries in less than two weeks—starting in Tbilisi, Georgia, spending a few days in Israel, and finally heading to Cyprus for a short but enriching stay. What stood out most was just how short and easy the flight was between Israel and Cyprus—a route I had never seriously considered before.
Our journey began in Tbilisi, flying to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, where we stayed for several days to visit relatives. These family moments added a personal and grounding start to what would soon shift into a more exploratory leg of the trip.
After spending quality time in Israel, we boarded a short flight from Tel Aviv to Larnaca with Israir, a regional airline we had used once flying to Eiltat. The flight was incredibly short—less than an hour—and gave me a new appreciation for the geographic closeness of Israel and Cyprus. It’s a route so brief it feels more like a long taxi ride than a traditional international flight.
Larnaca International Airport (LCA) welcomed me with a modern but slightly cold atmosphere. The terminal is clean and well-organized, and everything works as it should. However, I couldn’t help but feel that the staff were a bit impersonal. No one was particularly rude, but there wasn’t much warmth either—it had that “move along” energy you find in many tourist-heavy airports.
As someone who travels often, this didn’t bother me. But it was enough to notice. I’d describe the airport as tourist-focused but not tourist-friendly—geared for efficiency over hospitality. During rush hour, the place felt crowded and slightly chaotic, though nothing unmanageable.
Larnaca International offers all the expected services:
- Duty-free shopping
- Cafés and quick food stops
- Car rentals and taxi stands
- Bolt Taxi service access for app-based transport
Everything is convenient, but don’t expect VIP treatment. It’s a get-in, get-out kind of place, especially during peak flight times.
We ordered a Bolt Taxi directly from the airport to our hotel. The pickup was smooth, the driver was courteous, and the vehicle was clean. The ride lasted about 30 to 40 minutes, and the fare was around €60. While not cheap, it felt reasonable for a private transfer and was a comfortable way to reach our destination after a flight.
After four short days in Cyprus, it was time to return—again flying Israir from Larnaca to Tel Aviv to reconnect with my original travel route back home. This leg of the journey wasn’t as pleasant. Security checks at Larnaca were extremely congested, and the entire process felt unnecessarily slow and uncoordinated.
If there’s one area where air travel still feels stuck in the past, it’s the security checkpoint experience. Larnaca was no exception. The lines were long, the flow was poor, and the overall experience lacked the efficiency that would make this airport truly traveler-friendly.
Larnaca International Airport serves its purpose—it connects Cyprus to key regional destinations like Israel—but there’s a lot of room for improvement in terms of passenger experience and hospitality. Still, for a quick Mediterranean hop, the route between Tel Aviv and Larnaca is a discovery in itself. It opens up opportunities for short, spontaneous escapes between the two countries.