Oman airport traffic reaches 9.31 million until August 2026

MUSCAT: Passenger traffic through Oman’s airports fell 7.1 per cent to 9.31 million in the first eight months of 2026, compared with 10.02 million during the same period last year, according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).
The total includes arrivals, departures and transit passengers at Muscat, Salalah, Suhar and Al Duqm airports. All four airports recorded declines in passenger numbers and flight movements during the period.
International flights arriving at and departing from Muscat, Salalah and Suhar airports totalled 53,716, down 8.8 per cent from 58,890 a year earlier.
Muscat International Airport handled 8,101,852 passengers through August, a decline of 7.5 per cent from 8,757,696 in the corresponding period of 2025. It remained the country’s busiest airport, accounting for about 87 per cent of total passenger traffic.
International and domestic flight movements at Muscat fell 6.7 per cent to 57,870, compared with 62,007 a year earlier.
Omani nationals accounted for the largest number of passenger arrivals and departures at Muscat International Airport during August. Their total reached 202,033, comprising 111,360 arrivals and 90,673 departures.
Indian nationals ranked second with 145,720 passenger movements, including 77,001 arrivals and 68,719 departures. Bangladeshi nationals followed with 42,050, comprising 23,454 arrivals and 18,596 departures.
Salalah Airport handled 1,155,605 passengers in the first eight months, down 4.4 per cent from 1,208,607 during the same period last year.
Its international and domestic flight movements declined 1.4 per cent to 7,657, compared with 7,769 in the corresponding period of 2025. Salalah recorded the smallest percentage declines in both passenger traffic and flight movements among the four airports.
Together, Muscat and Salalah accounted for more than 99 per cent of passengers passing through Oman’s airports during the reporting period.
Suhar Airport recorded 15,292 passengers, a decrease of 17.4 per cent from 18,522 a year earlier, representing the sharpest passenger decline among the four airports.
International and domestic flight movements at Sohar fell 6.9 per cent to 188, compared with 202 during the first eight months of 2025.
Al Duqm Airport handled 36,443 passengers, down 9.3 per cent from 40,173 in the corresponding period last year. Domestic flight movements declined 7.3 per cent to 380, compared with 410.
The NCSI figures show that passenger traffic declined more sharply than flight movements at each airport during the first eight months of 2026. — ONA