Passengers at Entebbe International Airport
Entebbe International Airport recorded 550,439 international arrivals and 582,927 international departures, totaling 1,133,366 international passengers in the first half of 2025, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has revealed.
This marks an increase from 527,692 arrivals and 541,532 departures, totaling 1,069,224 passengers in the same period of January to June 2024. The figures reflect a 4.3% growth in arrivals and a 7.6% growth in departures year-on-year.
According to Vianney M. Luggya, the UCAA Spokesperson, cargo traffic also saw an upward trend, with 22,844 metric tonnes of exports and 10,778 metric tonnes of imports, making a total of 33,622 metric tonnes handled between January and June 2025.
This compares to 22,380 tonnes of exports and 10,414 tonnes of imports in the same period of 2024, totaling 32,794 tonnes.
The data reflects a 2.1% increase in exports and a 3.5% increase in imports.
Luggya says Uganda’s major exports via Entebbe Airport include fish, flowers, vegetables and fresh produce, among others.
According to UCAA, aircraft movements increased from 15,223 in the first half of 2024 to 15,922 in the same period of 2025, representing a 4.6% growth.
On the other hand, UCAA says, overflights declined from 12,359 in January to June 2024 to 11,917 in the same period of 2025, reflecting a 3.6% decrease.
“The reduction in overflights is partly attributed to the partial reopening of Sudanese airspace, which had previously been closed. This has allowed airlines operating between the Middle East, Southern Africa, and Latin America to resume using ICAO-designated contingency routes,” Luggya says.
To accommodate the growing passenger and cargo traffic, there is an ongoing construction of the new terminal building at Entebbe International Airport.
The upgrade and expansion of a new terminal building and other ongoing works will significantly increase the airport’s capacity and efficiency, subsequently boosting trade and tourism.
