Passenger Numbers Increase in January 2026
The growth in passenger traffic in airports across Oman was experienced at the beginning of 2026. The official statistics published on 14 March 2026 document the fact that the overall number of passengers who flew through the airports of the country was 1,452,911 as of the end of January 2026. This covers departing and arrival passengers as well as transit passengers.
In 2025, the airports in Oman accommodated 1,334,825 passengers during the same year. This is compared with an increase of 8.8 percent year on year, which shows that the travel demands are increasing and the aviation activities in the country are also improving.
Growth in Flight Operations
Flight movements also contributed to the growth in the number of passengers. By the end of January 2026, the number of international flights in all airports of Oman reached 8,032 flights, which was 7,820 flights in January 2025. This is equivalent to 2.7 percent growth in the international operation of flights. The increasing number of flights is a pointer to enhanced connectivity between Oman and other destinations, and also increased demand for regional flights.
Muscat International Airport Handles Majority of Traffic
Muscat International Airport remained in control of the greatest proportion of passenger and flight actions in Oman. The airport had registered 7,594 international flights as of the end of January 2026, which was a little more than 7,410 international flights at the same time last year. The number of passengers using Muscat Airport on international flights stood at 1,189,938, which is an increase of 7.2 percent relative to January 2025.
Domestic Travel Shown Strong Growth
The domestic travel in Oman experienced high growth in the same period as well. By January 2026, the Muscat International Airport was handling 773 domestic flights. The domestic passenger traffic was 107, 423 passengers, which is compared to 93895 passengers in January 2025. This is an increase of 14.4 percent and indicates the increasing demand for traveling within cities in Oman.
Other Airports Also Record Growth
Airport outside the capital also reports improved activity
Salalah Airport was managing 916 international and domestic flights by the end of January 2026, which is an increase from 822 flights of the same nature last year. The airport recorded a traffic of 150,785 passengers, which is an increase of 19.2 percent.
There were also increased flight movements recorded at Sohar Airport with 18 flights against 10 flights in January 2025, indicating that operations increased greatly at the airport. In January 2026, Duqm Airport registered 52 domestic flights with the number of passengers being comparatively steady, approximately 4,749 travelers.
Most Frequent Nationalities Traveling Through Muscat Airport
The nationalities using the most common nationalities using the Muscat International Airport in January 2026 are also indicated in the travel statistics. The citizens of Oman were in the first position with 195,657 passengers. The second largest number of passengers were Indian nationals, who had 187,904 passengers, and the third highest number of travelers were Pakistani travelers with 48,546 passengers.
Regional Tensions Affect Aviation Environment
Recently, the Middle East aviation industry has been experiencing operational difficulties owing to tensions in the region as far as security issues are concerned. The current war between Israel, Iran, and the United States has led to a hindrance of some of the airways and a strain on airline companies and airports operating in the area.
Although these challenges were met, the airports in Oman still remained stable and reported positive growth in the number of passengers at the beginning of the year.
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