Oman airports see 9.3% drop in passenger traffic by end of May 2026

Airports across Oman experienced a notable decline in passenger traffic by the end of May 2026, with a total of 5.25 million travelers passing through, according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

This figure represents a 9.3% decrease compared to the 5.79 million passengers recorded during the same period in 2025. The reduction in passenger numbers was mirrored by a 10.7% drop in international flight movements (arrivals and departures) across Muscat, Salalah, and Sohar airports, falling from 35,679 flights in 2025 to 31,867 in 2026.

Muscat International Airport, the nation's busiest, recorded a decrease of 8.5% in passenger numbers, reaching 4,764,340 by the end of May 2026, down from 5,207,005 in the prior year. Flight traffic at Muscat also saw a decline of 8.2%, with 34,242 flights compared to 37,307.

Salalah Airport experienced a more substantial decrease, with passenger numbers dropping 15.9% to 468,797, and flight traffic falling 13% to 3,234. Sohar Airport saw a significant 39% reduction in flights, handling only 50, and a 48.5% decrease in passengers, with just 173. Duqm Airport's domestic flight traffic also decreased by 13.3%.

During May 2026 at Muscat International Airport, Indian nationals were the most frequent travelers, with 175,022 passengers. Omani nationals followed with 80,732 passengers, and Pakistani nationals were third with 45,956.