Entebbe Airport Passenger Traffic Recovers in August but Remains Below 2025 Levels

September 18, 2026 in Business, Companies, Trade & Industry, Travel & Tourism by Editor

The new addition to the departure terminal at Entebbe that is set to open in May

Entebbe Airport handled 169,706 international passengers in August, an 8.5pc monthly recovery but 29.1pc below August 2025.

 

Passenger traffic at Entebbe International Airport increased in August, but international passenger volumes remained significantly below the levels recorded during the same month last year, as travel restrictions and suspended airline services continued to weigh on Uganda’s main international gateway.

The airport handled 169,706 international passengers in August 2026, according to the latest traffic figures from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), representing an 8.5 per cent increase from the 156,342 passengers recorded in July.

The month-on-month recovery added 13,364 passengers to the airport’s traffic, although volumes remained 29.1 per cent below the comparable period in 2025.

Entebbe processed 239,329 international passengers in August last year, leaving a year-on-year deficit of 69,623 passengers in August 2026.

The latest figures highlight the continuing weakness in international air travel through Uganda, despite August falling within the traditional mid-year peak travel season, when holiday travel and tourism typically support passenger demand.

Of the passengers handled in August, 88,270 were arrivals and 81,436 were departures. The figures translate into an average of approximately 5,474 international travellers passing through the airport each day.

The difference between arrivals and departures, with arrivals exceeding departures by 6,834 passengers, also points to the effects of restrictions affecting Ugandan travellers on selected international routes.

The traffic decline follows disruptions linked to the Ebola outbreak in neighbouring DRC with a few spillover cases in to Uganda, as well as the suspension of services by some airlines.

Dutch carrier KLM suspended flights to Entebbe following the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak. Although the World Health Organisation subsequently declared Uganda Ebola-free, the airline had not resumed its services by the time of the August traffic figures.

The suspension removed a significant link between Uganda and the European aviation network, with implications for both passenger connectivity and onward travel.

Uganda Airlines has also yet to restore its Kinshasa services, which were suspended after Kampala closed its borders with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The continued absence of the route has further reduced the national carrier’s network coverage.

Dubai, another important destination for Ugandan travellers, continues to impose restrictions on passengers from Uganda, adding pressure to traffic flows through Entebbe.

Together, these disruptions have affected both the volume and composition of passenger traffic, with the imbalance between arrivals and departures reflecting the constraints on outbound travel.

The increase from July to August provides some evidence of a recovery in passenger activity. However, the substantial year-on-year shortfall suggests that the airport has yet to regain the traffic levels it enjoyed during the corresponding period in 2025.

July and August typically benefit from increased movement associated with school holidays, tourism and family travel. The weaker performance this year therefore raises questions about the extent to which travel restrictions and the loss of airline connectivity are affecting Uganda’s tourism and aviation-related businesses.

For airlines operating through Entebbe, lower passenger volumes can affect seat occupancy, route profitability and the viability of maintaining services. The impact extends beyond carriers to airport-related businesses, including ground handling, hospitality, transport and tourism operators.

The resumption of suspended services, alongside the easing of travel restrictions, could help restore traffic. However, the August figures underline the importance of reliable international connectivity to the performance of Uganda’s aviation sector.

The figures point to an aviation market still working through the effects of health-related travel disruptions, airline suspensions and restrictions affecting key travel corridors.