MUSCAT: Muscat International Airport handled 6,233,954 passengers in the first half of 2025, marking a 2.4 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2024. Flight operations also fell by 6.9 percent, with 44,743 flights recorded versus 48,052 in the previous year. This decline reflects a slowdown in international travel activity, influenced by regional and global economic factors, as well as changes in airline schedules. The data, released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), underlines a shift in travel patterns and highlights the ongoing need for adaptive strategies to maintain passenger volumes.
While Muscat experienced a drop, Salalah Airport recorded growth in passenger traffic, with numbers rising 4.5 percent to 657,209 by June 2025, up from 628,951 in the same period last year. Flights at Salalah saw a minimal increase of 0.3 percent, reaching 4,526 compared to 4,514 previously. This growth is likely supported by tourism activity in Dhofar, particularly during the Khareef season, and increasing regional connectivity. The upward trend in Salalah indicates its resilience as a secondary hub in Oman’s aviation network, especially during peak travel periods.
In contrast, Sohar Airport faced a severe decline, with passenger numbers plummeting to just 336 in the first half of 2025, compared to 31,203 a year earlier. Flight operations also dropped sharply by 68.7 percent, from 268 flights to only 84. This steep fall suggests a significant reduction in both domestic and international services, possibly due to route cancellations and reduced airline interest in operating from the airport. The figures indicate that Sohar’s role in the national aviation framework has diminished considerably over the past year.
At Duqm Airport, the picture was more balanced, with a 0.6 percent drop in flights to 306 but a slight passenger increase of the same percentage, reaching 30,070 travelers. Meanwhile, Indian nationals led the list of arrivals and departures through Muscat International Airport with 193,183 passengers, followed by Omanis with 135,093 and Pakistanis with 48,733. These figures highlight the dominance of regional labor and expatriate travel in Oman’s air traffic profile, emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong connections with key expatriate communities to sustain passenger flow.
