Kuwait International Airport has fallen to the bottom of Gulf aviation rankings, reporting a 3% drop in passenger traffic in the first half of 2025, the only major Gulf airport to show a decline. While regional airports like Dubai, Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi continue to post significant growth, Kuwait’s stagnation highlights serious concerns.
Dubai welcomed 46 million passengers, while Abu Dhabi saw a 13% increase, and even smaller hubs like Muscat and Bahrain experienced modest growth. In contrast, Kuwait’s airport struggles with outdated infrastructure, slow administrative response, and the loss of key international carriers like British Airways, Lufthansa, and KLM.
The exit of British Airways, which reversed its decision to leave Bahrain after negotiations, but maintained its withdrawal from Kuwait, underscores the country’s lack of urgency in aviation affairs. National carriers are facing expansion restrictions, and operational inefficiencies have left international partners hesitant.
Experts warn that unless Kuwait overhauls its aviation strategy and addresses bureaucratic bottlenecks, it risks undermining its Vision 2035 goals of becoming a regional commercial hub. Aviation stakeholders are urging authorities to adopt a multi-agency approach and implement swift reforms before the gap widens further.
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