Airlines add 192 flights to meet khareef travel demand

MUSCAT: Oman Air and SalamAir announced a significant expansion of their operational activities to the Wilayat of Salalah, coinciding with the Khareef Dhofar Season 2026, by increasing their operational capacity by up to 400 per cent during the peak period of the season.
Oman Air increased the number of available seats to Salalah from around 675 seats per day last April to more than 3,000 seats during peak demand days, while SalamAir's daily seat capacity rose from 495 seats to 1,505 seats during the same period.
During the month of July alone, the two carriers added 192 additional flights and 35,639 extra seats on the Muscat–Salalah route, alongside enhancing domestic flights.
Oman Air maintained the fixed pricing for Omani citizens, which has been approved since 2023, allowing citizens to travel between Muscat and Salalah for RO 54. During the Khareef Dhofar Season, travellers will be able to choose from up to 23 daily flights between Muscat and Salalah at various times meeting different travel needs.
SalamAir also continues to operate its daily direct flight between Suhar and Salalah, enhancing air connectivity between Al Batinah North and Dhofar.
On the international air connectivity front, Oman Air recently launched direct flights between Dubai and Salalah, along with a seasonal weekly service connecting Bahrain to Salalah in cooperation with Discovery Travel, while SalamAir launched its seasonal direct flights from Dammam and Baghdad to Salalah.
These combined services are expected to contribute to attracting thousands of additional visitors to the governorate throughout the Khareef Dhofar Season, thereby supporting the hospitality sector, boosting local business activity, and contributing to revitalising the tourism sector more broadly.
As the national carriers of the Sultanate of Oman, both Oman Air and SalamAir continue to undertake a pivotal role in supporting the growth of the tourism sector by enhancing air connectivity, increasing operational capacity, and providing wider travel options during the Khareef Dhofar Season.
Through the integration of efforts between the two sides, the two carriers continue their commitment to facilitating travel within Oman, supporting economic growth, and contributing to achieving the targets of Oman Vision 2040.
Con Korfiatis, CEO of Oman Air, explained that the Khareef Dhofar Season constitutes a key pillar of tourism attraction in the Sultanate of Oman. From this standpoint, it is the responsibility of the national carriers to lead efforts aimed at enhancing air connectivity with this vital destination, noting that the expanded programme reflects the company's commitment to achieving this balance, ensuring seamless travel opportunities for Omani citizens at subsidised and fixed prices, in parallel with increasing the carriers' share in attracting more international tourists to Dhofar Governorate.
He said that these additional flights represent an added value to support the local business sector and revive tourism activity, as well as their role in consolidating Oman's position as a leading global destination.
For his part, Adrian Hamilton-Manns, CEO of SalamAir, said that the growth of the Khareef Dhofar Season, which is one of the most anticipated tourism seasons in the governorate, will be supported through the largest seasonal operational programme implemented by the company, and by expanding its network of destinations, increasing the number of flights, and enhancing seat capacity, thereby allowing travellers from various parts of the Sultanate of Oman and the region easier opportunities to reach Dhofar and enjoy its unique natural and tourist assets.
He added that ease of access and providing affordable travel options remain at the core of its strategy, which is reflected in continuing to offer resident pricing alongside a set of additional promotional offers, noting that these initiatives embody SalamAir's commitment to supporting domestic tourism and contributing to achieving Oman's tourism targets within the framework of Oman Vision 2040. - ONA