Overview:
The airport handled 156,342 international passengers in July 2026, up from 131,246 passengers recorded in June, representing an increase of 25,096 passengers.
KAMPALA — Passenger traffic through Entebbe International Airport rose sharply in July, but the rebound remains well below levels recorded during the same period last year, according to new figures from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA).
The airport handled 156,342 international passengers in July 2026, up from 131,246 passengers recorded in June, representing an increase of 25,096 passengers.
The July figure translates into an average of about 5,043 international passengers arriving at or departing from the country each day.
Vianney Luggya, the UCAA spokesperson, attributed the month-on-month increase partly to the seasonal rise in air travel, with June to August typically being a peak period for passenger movements.
Of the July passengers, 86,586 were arrivals while 69,756 were departing passengers.
Despite the increase, however, Entebbe’s international passenger traffic remains significantly below last year’s levels, pointing to a slower recovery in air travel volumes.
July 2026 traffic was 70,667 passengers lower than the corresponding period in July 2025, while June 2026 recorded a deficit of 70,514 passengers compared with June 2025.
The figures mean that although passenger numbers are increasing as the peak travel season progresses, the airport has yet to return to the passenger volumes recorded a year earlier.
Mr Luggya said the June-to-August period normally experiences increased passenger movement, making the July improvement expected.
The continued year-on-year gap, however, raises questions about the factors affecting international travel demand, including passenger flows into and out of Uganda.
Cargo picks up
While passenger traffic remains below last year’s levels, cargo volumes through Entebbe also increased significantly in July.
The airport handled 4,799 metric tonnes of cargo during the month, compared with 4,140 metric tonnes in June.
Exports accounted for 3,123 metric tonnes, while imports stood at 1,676 metric tonnes.
This means exports made up about two-thirds of the cargo handled during the month, reinforcing Entebbe’s role as an important gateway for Uganda’s air-freighted products.
The July cargo volume represents an increase of 659 metric tonnes from June, a rise of nearly 16 per cent.
The stronger cargo performance comes as Uganda continues to rely on air transport for the movement of high-value and time-sensitive exports, particularly fresh produce and other goods destined for international markets.
The contrasting passenger and cargo trends provide a mixed picture of activity at Uganda’s main international gateway.
While passenger numbers increased by more than 25,000 between June and July, the airport’s international passenger traffic remained substantially below the level recorded a year earlier.
Cargo, on the other hand, registered a strong month-on-month increase, with exports accounting for the larger share of goods passing through the airport.
The July figures also come amid efforts by UCAA and other aviation stakeholders to expand Entebbe’s capacity and strengthen Uganda’s position as an air transport and logistics hub in the region.