Oman Airports Expands European Focus, Adds New Airline Partners

Oman Airports is intensifying its European expansion strategy focusing on underserved markets, Oman Airports’ Director of Route Development Salim Al-Shukaili has told Routes.

Muscat International Airport handled 12.9 million passengers in 2024, marking a 2% increase over 2023 figures. Salalah Airport also exceeded expectations by surpassing pre-pandemic 2019 passenger levels by 17.3%, driven primarily by tourism and seasonal travel demand.

The airport operator has identified Europe as a strategic growth market, with a focus on central and eastern European destinations, including targeting LCC service from Budapest, Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, Bucharest and Bratislava. Russia also remains critical to the strategy, with existing Moscow routes complemented by new services from Sochi and Mineralnye Vody starting October 2025 through Azimuth Airlines.

New points in Western Europe are also on the agenda. “In addition to secondary cities in Germany, Italy and France, new opportunities are emerging in Spain and Portugal,” Al-Shukaili said. “Cities such as Madrid, Barcelona and Lisbon can offer strong outbound leisure demand, as well as tour operator partnerships that can drive new traffic flows into Oman.”

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Several new airline partnerships will enhance Oman's connectivity in late 2025. Iraqi Airways will launch services from three Iraqi cities to Muscat, while China Eastern Airlines will commence 2X-weekly Beijing–Muscat flights on Nov. 30. Additionally, Italy's Neos Airlines will introduce a triangle route connecting Milan, Muscat and Salalah, alongside additional Rome–Salalah flights.

Al-Shukaili says that from 2026, focus will shift toward Nordic countries—Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland—targeting winter sun tourism and premium cultural travel segments. 

“Joint marketing campaigns, co-funded initiatives, and attractive incentive schemes will support airlines in launching and sustaining new services across these priority markets,” Al-Shukaili added.