Gulf traffic from Hyderabad plunges in first half of 2026 (AI image used for representational purpose only)
HYDERABAD: The ongoing war in Iran and the resulting uncertainty across West Asia have taken a toll on international air traffic between Hyderabad and the Gulf countries, with two-way passenger movements between the city and key Gulf and West Asian hubs falling sharply in the first half of 2026. Two-way passenger traffic between Hyderabad and 12 major Gulf and West Asian destinations declined from 17.65 lakh in Jan-June 2025 to 15.22 lakh in Jan-June 2026, a fall of around 2.43 lakh passengers, according to the latest Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data. Doha witnessed one of the sharpest declines, with two-way passenger traffic between Hyderabad and Doha falling from around 2.43 lakh in H1 2025 to 1.43 lakh in H1 2026 – a drop of 41.1%. The Hyderabad-Kuwait corridor saw traffic declining by 31.4%, from 85,673 passengers in H1 2025 to 58,775 in H1 2026. Two-way passenger traffic between Hyderabad and Medina fell from 20,344 in Q1 2026 to just 3,339 in Q2, a decline of about 84%, or more than six-fold.
Because they fear they could get stranded if the situation escalates again, “People are still hesitant to travel to the Middle East for tourism.
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,” said Moez Meghani of Max Travels. The Doha and Kuwait routes were particularly affected, with significant drops in passenger numbers. The comparison covers Hyderabad’s scheduled international links with Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Kuwait, Medina, Muscat, Riyadh, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.
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