Sharjah airport passenger volume grew 14% in 2025

The UAE‘s Sharjah International Airport handled 19.4 million passengers in 2025, an increase of 14 percent year on year as the number of flights hit a new high.

Sharjah International, home to low-cost carrier Air Arabia, has been working on several expansion plans since 2023 in an effort to raise its passenger handling capacity to 20 million by 2026, aiming to become a top-five regional airport. 

Aircraft movements rose 8 percent to a record 116,657 flights last year, the airport said in a news release. 

Air cargo operations reported solid growth, with handled volumes reaching 204,323 tonnes in 2025 from 195,909 tonnes in 2024.

Sea freight services through Sharjah airport continued their upward trend for a third straight year, with handled volumes rising to 16,770 tonnes from 2024’s 14,035 tonnes, reflecting increasing demand for the emirate’s logistics corridor.

Ali Salim Al Midfa, Sharjah Airport Authority chairman, said the rise in passenger and cargo volumes aligned with the airport’s goals to increase capacity, enhance service quality and support the emirate’s broader economic and tourism ambitions.

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Sharjah airport further expanded its flight network last year, with Air Arabia adding new direct routes to global cities.  

In addition, Air Arabia will launch direct flights to London from March 2026.  

Work on the airport’s AED1.24 billion ($338 million) terminal expansion, which started in January 2024, is expected to be completed next year.

In December, the Sharjah government approved budget plans for AED45 billion in spending this year to support economic growth and fund strategic initiatives. It has allocated 35 percent of the overall outlay to capital projects.