Oman ramps up Salalah flights for khareef season

Oman is expanding flights to Salalah ahead of the 2026 khareef season, with more than 520,000 seats planned to meet growing visitor demand.

 

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said airlines will operate additional services between 21 June and 21 September 2026, with Oman Air increasing capacity to around 330,000 seats, up from 313,000 last year, while SalamAir will offer approximately 190,844 seats. Oman Air will operate up to 13 daily flights between Muscat and Salalah, rising to 14 on selected peak travel days, while SalamAir will operate up to 10 daily services. 

Regional connectivity is also expanding, with SalamAir introducing direct flights from Dammam and Baghdad, while Oman Air will launch a thrice-weekly service between Dubai and Salalah from 3 July 2026. Salalah Airport (SLL) is also expected to welcome international services from Air Arabia, Flydubai, Etihad Airways, Flynas, Qatar Airways and Air India Express during the season.

 

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Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yafei, Director General of the CAA in Dhofar, said the authority had stepped up preparations in collaboration with airlines and industry partners to increase operational capacity, improve the passenger experience and maintain flexibility throughout the peak travel period.

 

Oman’s annual khareef season runs from June to September, attracting visitors to the Dhofar region each year. Salalah recorded more than one million visitors during the 2024 season.

 

The increase in air capacity comes as Oman continues investing in Dhofar’s tourism infrastructure. The government recently announced a new US$10.4 million (OMR4 million) tourism park in Salalah featuring water attractions, family entertainment zones, restaurants and public leisure facilities to increase capacity during the khareef season.

 

Another major project planned for Dhofar is the New City Salalah masterplan, a 7.3 million-square-metre mixed-use coastal destination that will include hotels, residences and leisure attractions as a part of the Sultanate’s long-term tourism strategy for the region.

 

For more information, visit www.caa.gov.om