Sharjah Airport posts record 19.4 million passengers in 2025

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Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) has set a new record in annual passenger numbers, welcoming 19.4 million travellers in 2025, up from 17.1 million in 2024, marking a near 14% increase.

The surge was fuelled by new and expanded routes from SHJ, following the addition of four new airlines to its base, including SalaamAir, Caspian Airlines, Fly Cham and Ethiopian Airlines.

Air Arabia, Sharjah’s national carrier, also contributed to the growth with a series of network expansions across Asia, Africa and Europe. New destinations added during the year include Munich, Vienna, Prague, Warsaw, Sochi, Addis Ababa, Krabi, Qeshm, Bandar Abbas and Ahvaz. In 2026, the airline will debut the first-ever direct flights between Sharjah and London on 29 March.

Supporting these developments, aircraft movements climbed to 116,657 in 2025, up from 107,760 in 2024 and 98,433 in 2023. Air cargo volumes also grew, with 204,323 tonnes handled in 2025, compared to 195,909 a year earlier.

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Technological and service upgrades at SHJ continued to improve traveller experiences, including the rollout of smart immigration systems, 5G connectivity and tailored support for special needs travellers. At-home check-in services were introduced with service packages starting from AED145.

HE Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority, said the performance reflects SHJ’s long-term strategy to increase capacity, improve service quality and support local tourism goals, while strengthening its position as a regional aviation hub.

As the only carbon-neutral airport in the GCC region, SHJ has previously been awarded the Sharjah Excellence Award for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in 2024, marking its commitment to environmental sustainability.

The growth trend mirrors a wider national upswing, as Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports collectively handled more than 100 million passengers in the first nine months of 2025, according to data from the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

Dubai International Airport (DXB) recorded its single busiest day on 3 January 2026, handling 324,000 travellers, with an estimated 3.4 million passing through between 1 and 11 January.

For more information, visit sharjahairport.ae