Media Centre

Khareef lifts Salalah Airport passenger arrivals by 8%

Salalah – Passenger arrivals at Salalah Airport rose 8% between June 21 and July 31, as airlines increased capacity to cater to growing demand during the khareef season.

The airport received 154,529 arriving passengers during the period, up by 12,041 from 142,488 a year earlier, according to Oman Airports data.

The number of arriving flights increased 7% to 1,758 from 1,637 during the corresponding period of 2025.

The rise coincides with the peak tourism period in Dhofar, when the governorate draws visitors from Oman and across the region for its cooler temperatures, mist-covered mountains and green landscapes.

As per an earlier announcement, Oman Air and SalamAir added 192 flights and 35,639 seats on the Muscat-Salalah route in July alone to meet khareef demand.

Combined daily seat capacity offered by the two carriers exceeded 4,505 on peak travel days. Oman Air increased its Salalah capacity from around 675 seats a day in April to more than 3,000 during the busiest days, while SalamAir raised its capacity from 495 to 1,505 seats.

Passengers have had a choice of up to 23 daily flights between Muscat and Salalah during the season, while SalamAir has also operated a daily Suhar-Salalah service.

International connectivity has expanded alongside domestic capacity. Oman Air introduced a direct Dubai-Salalah service and a weekly charter from Bahrain, while SalamAir launched seasonal flights from Dammam and Baghdad.

The additional links are aimed at bringing more regional visitors directly into Dhofar, reducing reliance on connections through Muscat and supporting hotels, restaurants and tourism businesses during one of Oman’s busiest travel periods.