Hyderabad’s air traffic to the Gulf has come under pressure in 2026 amid the continuing conflict involving Iran and wider security concerns across West Asia, with passenger numbers declining on several key routes.
According to the latest Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data, two-way passenger traffic between Hyderabad and 12 major Gulf destinations fell from 17.65 lakh in January-June 2025 to 15.22 lakh in the first half of 2026, a decline of around 2.43 lakh passengers.
The destinations covered are Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Kuwait, Madinah, Muscat, Riyadh, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.
Doha recorded one of the sharpest declines, with two-way passenger traffic falling from around 2.43 lakh in H1 2025 to 1.43 lakh in H1 2026, a drop of 41.1 per cent. Traffic on the Hyderabad-Kuwait route declined 31.4 per cent, from 85,673 passengers to 58,775.
The Hyderabad-Madinah route recorded an even steeper quarter-on-quarter fall. Two-way traffic dropped from 20,344 passengers in Q1 2026 to 3,339 in Q2, a decline of about 84 per cent.
The traffic decline follows periods of disruption to Gulf air connectivity during the escalation involving Iran earlier this year. In late February, 44 international flights at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport were cancelled, affecting services to and from destinations including Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Kuwait, Sharjah, Jeddah and Madinah.
The disruption was part of a wider impact on international aviation. The Ministry of Civil Aviation said on March 3 that 1,221 flights operated by Indian carriers and 388 by foreign airlines had been cancelled because of the West Asia airspace situation.
Fresh security concerns have also emerged in Saudi Arabia, an important destination for Hyderabad’s Umrah travellers. On September 16, Saudi Arabia said its air defences had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Makkah before it entered the holy city’s restricted airspace. Saudi authorities attributed the drone to the Houthis, while the group denied targeting Makkah.
The incident came amid renewed tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, adding to concerns over travel to the region. Jeddah and Madinah are particularly important for pilgrims travelling for Umrah.
Travel agents report cautious bookings
Speaking to Siasat.com, Mohammed Omer Ali, founder and director of Musafir Services, said there had been a noticeable drop in Hyderabad-Gulf travel demand. “Non-essential travellers are postponing or deferring their trips due to concerns over sudden airspace closures and flight disruptions,” he said.
He said Dubai and Bahrain were among the most affected destinations, while Umrah pilgrim traffic had also been heavily impacted. Jeddah, Madinah, Doha and Kuwait also saw declines in Umrah, leisure and discretionary travel, while essential labour and business travel continued. Ali added that the outlook for Diwali and New Year travel would depend on regional political stability and clearer assurances regarding airspace safety.
Hamed Ali of IMAD Travel, Hyderabad, said uncertainty among families planning Gulf trips was extending beyond ticket prices.
“For families planning Gulf travel, uncertainty is about more than the ticket price—it is whether they can return on time without unexpected disruption or extra costs,” he said.
He said holiday travel could be postponed, while work and family commitments often require people to travel despite uncertainty.
On the upcoming festive season, Hamed said the agency was “cautiously optimistic” about Diwali and New Year travel. He said reliable flight schedules, clear cancellation terms and confidence in the return journey would likely influence booking decisions.
Moez of Max Travel told Siasat.com said that Dubai had seen the biggest impact among the destinations handled by the agency.
“People are still hesitant to travel to the Middle East for tourism because they fear they could get stranded if the situation escalates again,” he said.
Moez said the agency expects travel demand to start improving after Ganesh Visarjan, when people begin planning holidays.
“We expect demand to improve if the geopolitical situation stabilises, with Diwali and the New Year holiday season being potential periods for a recovery in travel,” he said.
With the festive and winter travel season approaching, travel agencies are watching developments across West Asia closely. The regional security situation and the reliability of air connectivity are likely to remain important considerations for passengers planning tourism and Umrah trips from Hyderabad.
