Salalah Airport in the Sultanate of Oman received, yesterday evening, Wednesday, the first Saudia flight as part of the Sultanate's preparations for the Dhofar Khareef tourism season. The flight was welcomed with the traditional water cannon salute, marking the start of the Saudi carrier's regular operations to Dhofar Governorate during the season.
The occasion featured a welcome event attended by a number of officials, including the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman, Ambassador Ibrahim bin Saad bin Bishan, and Salalah Airport Vice President Zakaria bin Yaqoob Al-Harasi, along with representatives of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Oman Airports and a number of government entities.
Saudia is scheduled to operate 3 weekly flights between Jeddah and Salalah throughout the Dhofar Khareef 2025 season, as part of strengthening air and tourism connectivity between the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In this context, Oman Airports announced its full readiness to receive the season through Salalah and Muscat International airports, through integrated operational plans in coordination with its partners among airlines, the Royal Oman Police and ground handling companies, according to a post on the company's website.
Eng. Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Amri, CEO of Oman Airports, explained that operational and service arrangements have been completed to ensure a comfortable and smooth travel experience for all visitors, especially with the provision of innovative services at Salalah Airport such as the "Travel Easier" service, which allows baggage drop and boarding pass collection 24 hours before the flight without the need for all family members to be present, in addition to a baggage pick-up service directly from the car.
Salalah Airport is receiving flights from 13 airlines this season, including: Oman Air, SalamAir, Qatar Airways, flydubai, Saudia, Kuwait Airways, Air Arabia, flynas, flyadeal, Wizz Air, Air India Express and Jazeera Airways, reflecting the diversity of the regional and international air connectivity network with the governorate.
Salalah Airport recorded a 6.2% increase in passenger numbers in May 2025, reaching 101,214 passengers compared to 95,336 passengers in May 2024, an indicator of rising demand as the Khareef season approaches, running from June 21 until the end of September.
For his part, Zakaria Al-Harasi, Vice President of Salalah Airport, stressed that the airport represents a pivotal platform for regional and international flights during the season, noting that all facilities and services have been prepared to provide visitors with an outstanding travel experience.
Al-Harasi added that the Dhofar Khareef 2025 season is expected to see an increase in passenger numbers of nearly 29.9%, reaching more than 900,000 passengers compared to 692,626 passengers during the 2024 season.
He noted that travelers from within the Sultanate of Oman account for the largest share at 62.5%, followed by those arriving from GCC countries at 35.7%, then India at 1.8%.
To view the post on the Oman Airports website, click here.
