Indians Dominate Air Travel in Oman: Key Insights for Investors and Business Owners
Muscat: Indians led the international passenger traffic across all airports in the Sultanate of Oman, with 113,213 departures and 88,579 arrivals recorded in the first five months of 2025, according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) tourism report.
During this period, a total of 2,478,387 passengers traveled on 17,729 international flights, while 382,577 passengers used 2,882 international flights.
The NCSI report also highlighted a notable decline in the expatriate workforce from Bangladesh and the wider subcontinent in Oman. However, the Indian expatriate population saw a slight increase from 506,630 to 508,386.
Following Indians, Omani nationals accounted for 57,104 departures and 55,482 arrivals. Pakistani nationals recorded 26,529 departures and 21,628 arrivals, Bangladeshis 26,817 departures and 17,942 arrivals, Egyptians 14,669 departures and 10,606 arrivals, and Iranians 10,155 departures and 10,196 arrivals.
There was a significant 28.8 percent decrease in Pakistani nationals arriving on international flights during this timeframe.
The number of Bangladeshi expatriate workers fell from 637,152 to 621,048 by June 2025 compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan expatriates decreased from 24,156 in 2024 to 22,440 during the same period. Other declines included Pakistani expatriates, down from 317,296 to 312,105, and Filipinos, from 44,913 to 44,438.
Oman Airports recorded a 2 percent increase in passenger numbers in June 2025, with 1,134,924 travelers passing through its airports compared to 1,109,745 in June 2024.
India-Oman Connectivity
Oman Air currently operates flights from Muscat to several Indian cities including Bengaluru, Chennai, Goa, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram. SalamAir serves Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Mumbai, Jaipur, and Thiruvananthapuram.
From India, Indigo flies to Hyderabad, Kannur, Kochi, and Mumbai, while Air India Express connects Chennai, Kannur, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangalore, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Tiruchirappalli.
Adrian Hamilton-Manns, CEO of SalamAir, recently told the Observer, “We currently fly to seven destinations in India, limited by our fleet size. However, we are keen to expand our presence in this rapidly growing market. We aim to more than double our frequency and footprint in India.”
He added, “We are considering future additions such as Nagpur, Calcutta, and Trivandrum, which we served previously and may return to. There are about four or five new cities we hope to add in India.”
Special Analysis by Omanet | Navigate Oman’s Market
The sustained dominance of Indian passengers and expanding air connectivity between Oman and multiple Indian cities underscore a robust opportunity for businesses to tap into the growing India-Oman travel corridor, especially in travel, hospitality, and retail sectors. However, the notable decline in expatriate populations from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka presents a potential risk for labor-intensive industries, urging smart investors to diversify workforce strategies and explore automation or local talent development. Entrepreneurs should capitalize on expanding flight frequencies and routes by tailoring services to the increasing Indian traveler base while monitoring demographic shifts that may impact demand and supply dynamics.
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