Entebbe airport registers surge in passenger traffic

Entebbe — Entebbe International Airport recorded a sharp increase in international passenger traffic in February 2026, handling 189,575 passengers, new data from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) shows.

The figure comprises 90,007 arrivals and 99,568 departures, averaging about 6,770 passengers per day.

This represents an increase of 39,387 passengers compared to January 2026, when the airport handled 150,188 passengers.

The February 2026 numbers also surpass those recorded in the same period last year. In February 2025, the airport handled 159,503 international passengers, including 73,524 arrivals and 85,979 departures—indicating a year-on-year increase of 30,072 passengers.

On the cargo front, the airport handled a total of 4,498 metric tonnes in February 2026, up from 3,982 metric tonnes in January. This included 2,955 metric tonnes of exports and 1,543 metric tonnes of imports.

However, the February 2026 cargo performance remains slightly below the 4,546 metric tonnes recorded in February 2025, which comprised 3,157 metric tonnes of exports and 1,389 metric tonnes of imports.

Vianney Luggya, the UCAA spokesperson, attributed the growth to sustained recovery in air transport.

“The upward trend in both passenger and cargo traffic highlights sustained growth in air transport activity,” he said.

He, however, noted that disruptions in international air travel could affect performance in the short term.

“With parts of the Middle East airspace closed from February 28, 2026, and only a phased resumption of operations currently underway, several operators from Entebbe have been affected,” Mr Luggya said.

He added that as a result, traffic for March 2026 is expected to decline as airlines adjust their schedules.

Despite the anticipated slowdown, aviation authorities say the overall outlook for the sector remains positive.