Entebbe International Airport, Uganda’s primary gateway to the world, continues to solidify its position as a vital hub for East African aviation, with a significant rise in passenger traffic and cargo volumes in March 2025.
The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) reported that the airport handled 178,383 international passengers during the month, averaging 5,754 passengers daily, a 3.7% increase from the 171,990 passengers recorded in March 2024.
This growth underscores the airport’s critical role in boosting Uganda’s tourism, trade, and global connectivity.
Speaking to media on April 16, 2025 Vianney M. Luggya, the spokesperson of UCAA, revealed that the increase in passenger numbers in March 2025 was partly due to some factors like Uganda’s hosting of international conferences, increased tourism promotion, and the arrival of new airlines, particularly Flynas, which launched direct flights between Riyadh and Entebbe in January 2025. Additionally, Uganda Airlines continued to expand its operations on new routes.
Despite fluctuations, with February 2025 recording 161,095 international passengers (a drop from 175,630 in February 2024), the airport’s performance showed overall growth.
“It has been a year of highs and lows, marked by varied passenger traffic patterns, but January 2025 saw 216,740 international passengers, marking the second-highest monthly figure in the airport’s history,” Luggya stated.
Cargo volumes have also grown, with the airport handling 5,852 metric tons, comprising 1,965 tons of imports and 3,887 tons of exports.
“Exports continue to record higher figures than imports, which increases foreign exchange earnings, among other economic benefits for the country,” the UCAA spokesperson added.
This strong start to 2025 builds on the airport’s record-breaking performance in December 2024, when it handled 222,317 passengers, the highest monthly total ever recorded.
As Uganda’s connectivity with the world strengthens through new routes and airlines, Entebbe is poised to play an even more central role in the nation’s economic growth and global positioning in the years to come.
