Passenger traffic at Kuwait airport drops during Eid al-Adha
Passenger traffic through Kuwait International Airport during the Eid al-Adha holiday declined sharply this year, dropping by 56.4% compared to the same period in 2022.
According to informed sources the number of travelers fell from 542,000 in 2022 to just 236,000 in 2025.
Several key factors contributed to the decline, including rising inflation both locally and globally, which pushed up airfare and hotel costs in many destinations; the overlap of the holiday with high school exams, discouraging family travel and the withdrawal of several airlines from the Kuwaiti market, reducing available flight options, according to Al-Jarida daily.
Sources explained that Eid al-Adha travel patterns are typically sensitive to such variables, which can significantly influence booking trends. However, they expressed optimism that air travel activity may rebound in July, especially as the exam period ends and summer vacations begin.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) projected that Kuwait Airport would handle 236,000 passengers across 1,737 flights during the Eid period. Despite the drop in numbers, popular destinations remained consistent, with Dubai, Cairo, Jeddah, Doha, and Istanbul topping the list.
Interestingly, these destinations offer climates similar to Kuwait’s scorching summer heat, highlighting what sources described as an “urgent need to invest in infrastructure to make Kuwait more attractive for both local and Gulf tourists.”
For comparison, during Eid al-Adha in June 2022, the DGCA had expected passenger numbers to reach 542,000, marking a significantly more active travel season than this year.
