Domestic passengers rise as international traffic drops in Oman

MUSCAT: Domestic air travel in Oman recorded a modest growth during the first four months of 2026, even as international passenger traffic and flight movements declined, according to the latest aviation statistics.

Passenger numbers on domestic routes increased by 0.6 per cent to 304,546 by the end of April 2026, compared with 302,588 during the same period last year. Domestic flight movements also rose by 5.1 per cent, reaching 2,299 flights, up from 2,187 in 2025.

The growth in domestic aviation contrasted with a downturn in international travel. Passenger traffic on international flights fell by 7.8 per cent to 1.88 million passengers, compared with 2.04 million in the first four months of 2025.

International flight movements also declined by 8.9 per cent, dropping from 14,345 flights to 13,071 over the same period.

The figures highlight a diverging trend in Oman’s aviation sector, with domestic routes maintaining steady demand while international travel experienced a slowdown in both passenger volumes and flight frequencies during the opening months of the year.

The increase in domestic traffic reflects the continued importance of air links connecting Muscat with regional destinations across the Sultanate. At the same time, softer international numbers point to changing travel patterns and market conditions.

Meanwhile, Indian nationals remained the largest group departing Oman on international flights in April 2026, despite recording a significant year-on-year decline.

Data on the six nationalities with the highest number of international departures from Oman showed that 66,815 Indian passengers left the country in April 2026, compared with 87,405 in April 2025, a decline of 23.6 per cent.

Omani nationals recorded the second-highest number of departures, with 30,955 passengers travelling abroad during the month, down sharply from 58,017 a year earlier — a drop of 46.6 per cent.

Bangladeshi travellers ranked third with 21,946 departures, compared with 23,112 in April 2025, reflecting a modest decline of 5 per cent. Pakistani nationals accounted for 19,696 international departures in April 2026, down 12.6 per cent from 22,523 recorded during the same month last year.

Egyptian travellers also registered a decline, with departures falling from 8,740 to 6,291, a decrease of 28 per cent.

The steepest drop among the top six nationalities was recorded among Iranian passengers. Departures plunged by 67.7 per cent, from 12,026 in April 2025 to just 3,889 in April 2026.

Despite the decline across all six nationalities, Indians continued to account for the largest share of international departures from Oman, underlining the size and mobility of the Sultanate’s largest expatriate community.