Entebbe International Airport handled 153,968 international passengers in September, figures from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) show.
It said they work out at an average of 5,132 arrivals and departures a day. Cargo totalled 5,999 metric tonnes.
In September 2025, the airport handled 226,301 international passengers, an average of about 7,543 a day.
The year has been uneven for the airport. Entebbe recorded 189,575 international passengers in February 2026, nearly 30,000 more than in February 2025.
Then conditions changed. Parts of Middle Eastern airspace have been closed since 28 February 2026, disrupting flights for several operators from Entebbe.
Emirates, flydubai, Air Arabia, Qatar Airways and Uganda Airlines all temporarily suspended Middle East routes before resuming in phases. Many passengers from Uganda reach Europe and Asia through hubs such as Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
In March, UCAA director general Fred Bamwesigye said about 65% of the airport’s business was disrupted.
Traffic has since recovered only in part. April brought 189,130 passengers. UCAA data cited by aviation analysts put June at 131,246 and July at 156,342.
The latest cargo figure is stronger. Entebbe moved 4,498 tonnes in February 2026, so September’s 5,999 tonnes is about a third higher. It is also above the 5,864 tonnes recorded in July 2025.
Uganda’s exports of fresh produce, fish and flowers rely heavily on air freight. Much of that cargo travels in the holds of passenger aircraft, so fewer flights can limit export space.
Entebbe airport is also expanding. Phase II of the Entebbe expansion is backed by a $125m investment. The new terminal is meant to lift capacity from 2 million to 3.5 million passengers a year.
