Etihad opens Salalah link for Khareef

Salalah Airport has received Etihad Airways’ first flight from Abu Dhabi, opening a new seasonal air link designed to support Dhofar’s Khareef 2026 tourism campaign and widen direct access to Oman’s southern governorate.

The inaugural service arrived from the United Arab Emirates on 21 May, marking the start of Etihad’s Salalah operation ahead of the monsoon season, when Dhofar’s mountains, valleys and coastline draw heavy visitor flows from across the Gulf and beyond. The route adds another international connection to Salalah at a time when Oman Airports is working to attract more carriers and increase the role of regional airports in the country’s tourism strategy.

Etihad’s Abu Dhabi-Salalah service is scheduled as a seasonal operation, with flights connecting the UAE capital to one of the Gulf’s most distinctive summer destinations. The airline has positioned Salalah as part of its network expansion for 2026, alongside other seasonal additions, as carriers seek to match capacity with leisure demand during peak travel periods. Flight schedules show the sector taking around one hour and 40 minutes, giving travellers from Abu Dhabi a direct alternative to connections through Muscat and other regional hubs.

The launch carries commercial significance for both sides of the route. Abu Dhabi gives Salalah access not only to UAE-based travellers but also to Etihad’s wider network across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. For the airline, Salalah provides a seasonal leisure market that fits growing demand for short-haul, nature-led travel within the region. For Oman, the service supports efforts to spread visitor spending beyond Muscat and strengthen Dhofar’s position as a summer destination.

Khareef, the annual monsoon season in Dhofar, usually transforms Salalah and surrounding areas between June and September, bringing mist, cooler temperatures, flowing springs and green mountain slopes. The season has become a major economic driver for hotels, tour operators, restaurants, transport firms and small businesses. Visitor numbers have crossed the one million mark in earlier seasons, with air travel accounting for a substantial share of arrivals alongside land traffic from neighbouring Gulf states.

Salalah Airport is expected to play a central role in managing seasonal demand. The airport has expanded its passenger services and operational systems in recent years, with efforts focused on faster processing, improved wayfinding and stronger coordination with airlines and ground handlers. Its performance in passenger satisfaction programmes has also raised its profile among regional airports, reinforcing the government’s argument that aviation quality is part of Oman’s tourism offer.

The arrival of Etihad’s first flight also comes as Oman seeks to raise the contribution of tourism to economic diversification. Dhofar’s appeal is different from the desert, heritage and coastal tourism promoted elsewhere in the country. Salalah’s beaches, frankincense heritage, waterfalls, wadis and archaeological sites give the governorate a distinct identity that attracts families, nature travellers and visitors looking for cooler weather during the Gulf summer.

Hotels and tourism operators in Dhofar are preparing for stronger demand as more direct services enter the market. Seasonal flights can improve occupancy rates and extend the spending chain to car rentals, restaurants, local guides and retail outlets. Small and medium-sized enterprises are also expected to benefit from Khareef-linked festivals, cultural events and pop-up commercial activity across Salalah and nearby wilayats.

Oman Airports’ push to attract international flights to airports across the Sultanate reflects a broader aviation strategy centred on connectivity and destination marketing. Muscat International Airport remains the principal gateway, but Salalah has become increasingly important because of its seasonal demand profile and its ability to draw visitors who might otherwise choose cooler destinations outside the Gulf.

Competition among regional airlines is also shaping the route’s prospects. Travellers to Salalah already have options through carriers serving Muscat, Sharjah, Doha and other points, while domestic links remain important for residents and tourists moving within Oman. Etihad’s entry adds capacity and choice, but the success of the service will depend on pricing, schedule reliability, package promotion and the strength of demand beyond the Khareef peak.