In 2023, Sharjah Airport welcomed 15.3 million travellers in 2023, compared to 13.1 million in 2022, marking over 17.4% growth. Sharjah Airport Authority revealed its performance results for 2023. The air traffic witnessed an increase of 12.5% with over 98,000 flight movements in 2023, compared to around 87,000 in 2022. Furthermore, the total cargo volumes handled through Sharjah Airport in 2023 was over 141,000 tonnes.
The results underline the pioneering position of the emirate on the global travel map and the top-notch services delivered to passengers and companies. As for the top destinations, Sharjah Airport is linked to over 100 destinations through 33 international airlines in 62 countries. India topped the list with over 3.4 million passengers. Saudi Arabia bagged the second spot, followed by Pakistan, with passengers over 1.5 million and 1.2 million, respectively.
The three most preferred cities in 2023 were the Qatari capital city Doha, Dhaka and Cairo. To meet the surging demand and increase the operational capacity of the airport, Sharjah Airport has included seven new destinations for passengers including, Kuala Lumpur City in Malaysia, Kazan and Samara cities in Russia, Lar in Iran, Indore in India, Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand.
It also added three new destinations for air cargo including Houston in the United States, Kigali in Rwanda and Nasik in India.
In addition, the expansion project at Sharjah Airport Authority is ongoing and is anticipated to finish by 2027. The terminal expansion aims to boost the airport's passenger capacity to 20 million, segregate arrivals and departures, and enhance self-check-in and self-travel facilities. Additionally, the initiative includes the creation of new roads, entrances, parking areas, and various expansion and development endeavours. The overall goal is to improve service quality and elevate the travel experience for all Sharjah Airport passengers.