Muscat – More than 520,000 airline seats will be available to and from Salalah during khareef season, as airlines increase capacity and flight frequencies to meet rising demand for travel to Oman’s leading summer tourism destination.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced its operational readiness for the season, which runs from June 21 to September 21 and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to Dhofar each year.

According to the CAA, Oman Air will offer around 330,000 seats during the season, up from 313,000 in 2025, while SalamAir is expected to provide approximately 190,844 seats.

Passenger traffic on Oman Air is projected to reach nearly 298,000 travellers, an increase of about 8% compared to 277,000 passengers last year. SalamAir expects to carry more than 166,000 passengers during the period.

To accommodate the surge in demand, Oman Air will operate up to 13 daily flights between Muscat and Salalah, compared to 12 daily services during last year’s season. Frequencies will rise to 14 flights on select peak-demand days.

SalamAir will operate up to ten daily flights on the route and is scheduled to run 984 services during the season, up from 962 flights in 2025.

Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yafei, Director General of the CAA in Dhofar, said the authority has intensified preparations to ensure smooth airport operations and efficient passenger services throughout the season.

He said the CAA is working closely with airlines and relevant stakeholders to increase operational capacity, enhance passenger experience and maintain flexibility during peak travel periods.

Regional connectivity will also expand during the season. SalamAir will operate direct services to Salalah from Dammam and Baghdad, while Oman Air is set to launch a Dubai-Salalah route on July 3 with three weekly flights.

The CAA said approximately 18,000 seats have been allocated for flights connecting Salalah with Gulf destinations between July and September, with additional capacity planned on high-demand days, particularly Thursdays and Saturdays.

Salalah Airport is expected to receive 68 flights operated by international carriers during the season. These include 39 flights from the UAE operated by Air Arabia, flydubai and Etihad Airways, 11 flights from Saudi Arabia by Flynas, 14 services from Qatar by Qatar Airways and four flights from India operated by Air India Express.

For Omani citizens, Oman Air will continue offering subsidised fares introduced in 2024, with return tickets priced at RO54 and one-way fares at RO32. SalamAir will maintain promotional fares starting from RO9.99 one way, with return fares including checked baggage reaching RO56.99, depending on booking conditions and travel packages.