Oman’s airports record 3% drop in passenger traffic by May 2025 as Muscat, Sohar see significant declines – NCSI

OMAN – Oman’s airports have experienced a modest decline in passenger numbers, with the total count reaching approximately 5.79 million by the end of May 2025, a 3% drop compared to 5.96 million in the same period of 2024.

This trend, according to preliminary data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), reflects shifting travel patterns amid regional and global economic factors.

Muscat International Airport, the country’s primary air hub, handled 5.20 million passengers by the end of May 2025.

This figure represents a 3.5% decrease compared to 5.39 million passengers handled in the first five months of 2024.

The reduction may be attributed to tighter airline schedules, shifting demand, or increased competition from nearby transit hubs.

Correspondingly, Muscat International saw a sharp 7.5% contraction in flight movements, registering 37,307 flights compared to 40,322 in the prior year.

Salalah Airport stands as a bright spot in the network, bucking the broader decline with a 6.7% increase in traffic.

The airport welcomed 5.57 million passengers by the end of May 2025, compared to 5.22 million in the same period of 2024.

This growth likely reflects Salalah’s rising popularity as a domestic and regional tourism destination.

Despite the passenger uptick, Salalah Airport’s total flights edged down slightly by 0.3%, from 3,730 to 3,717 flights, indicating potentially larger aircraft or improved seat occupancy.

Sohar Airport, by contrast, posted the most severe reduction in passenger traffic. It saw a staggering 98.8% plunge, with numbers dropping from 27,350 in the first five months of 2024 to just 336 in 2025.

Flights at Sohar also plummeted 63.7%, shrinking from 226 to just 82 flights, highlighting significant operational cutbacks and possibly reflecting shifting airline strategies or reduced local demand.

Duqm Airport also experienced declines, with passenger counts falling by 1.2% to 25,371 and flights down 1.5% to 256 compared to last year’s 260 flights and 25,675 passengers.

This marginal reduction suggests steady but slightly weakened regional demand.

Detailed data on passenger profiles through Muscat International Airport for May 2025 shows Indian nationals remained the top travelling group, totaling 193,861 passengers.

This included 85,447 arrivals and 108,414 departures, highlighting strong travel ties between Oman and India.

Omani nationals followed with 108,916 passengers, and Pakistani nationals ranked third with 46,930 travelers, demonstrating Oman’s continued role as a regional hub for South Asian connections.

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