RAS AL KHAIMAH, 18th January, 2026 (WAM) -- Ras Al Khaimah International Airport recorded a significant milestone by surpassing the one-million-passenger mark during the past year, with total passenger numbers reaching 1,000,303, achieving notable growth compared to the previous year. The achievement reflects the accelerated pace of development and reinforces the airport's position as a promising regional hub for air transport.

The airport also witnessed a tangible expansion in its flight network, with the number of scheduled international flights and destinations increasing to 16 international destinations, including India, Pakistan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Crossing the one-million-passenger threshold is a clear indicator of the airport's transition into the category of medium-to-large airports, underscoring the success of the operational and development plans adopted by airport management.

Eng. Sheikh Salem bin Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, stated that exceeding the one-million-passenger mark reflects the success of the airport's operational and development strategy.

He emphasised the continued commitment to enhancing infrastructure efficiency, strengthening operational and security readiness, and delivering a fully integrated travel experience in line with international best practices and global standards.

Sheikh Salem bin Sultan added that, as part of the 2025 projects, a series of comprehensive developments were completed, including improvements to passenger facilities, upgrades to monitoring and operational systems, and the expansion of air connectivity to support tourism and commercial activity in the Emirate. He noted that all these projects were successfully completed, enhancing the airport's readiness to meet future growth requirements.

In the same context, the Ras Al Khaimah Department of Civil Aviation contributed to supporting the airport's growth during 2025 through the implementation of several key initiatives, most notably:

Launching the Drone Management System (DMS) as an innovative platform, alongside establishing strategic partnerships with the civil aviation authorities in Dubai and Fujairah, organizing awareness workshops for stakeholders, clients, and the community, and conducting awareness campaigns via social media.

Operating airport alert systems, managing aircraft ground movement and release, activating airport data dashboards, and monitoring strategic performance indicators (KPIs), with all planned objectives successfully achieved.

Renewing international ISO certifications in the fields of environment, innovation, business continuity management, and quality, without recording any observations or non-conformities.

Securing First Runner-Up in the Arab Award for Social Responsibility and Sustainability within the category of small-sized government entities, in recognition of efforts to promote sustainability and social responsibility.

Launching the first experimental flight of an electric flying vehicle in cooperation with the leading Chinese company XPENG AEROHT.

On the operational front, the airport recorded strong growth compared to the previous year, including a 14 percent increase in destinations, a 51 percent increase in passenger numbers, and a 37 percent increase in flights, reflecting the continuous expansion of its air connectivity network. All planned strategic projects were successfully completed, alongside a 29.4 percent improvement in net profits, strengthening the airport's ability to achieve sustainable growth and deliver high-quality services.

Sheikh Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi affirmed that these achievements are the result of the visionary leadership of H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, and the close follow-up of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah and Chairman of the Executive Council.

He noted that this support has contributed to creating an enabling environment for innovation, enhancing institutional performance efficiency, and empowering the airport to achieve qualitative milestones that strengthen its position as a regional air connectivity hub and support the Emirate's tourism, commercial, and economic activity.