The traffic at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut recorded an increase in passenger numbers traveling to and from Lebanon over the past year. By the end of 2023, the airport handled seven million and 127 thousand and 649 passengers compared to six million and 349 thousand and 967 passengers in 2022, resulting in an increase of over 12 percent. July 2023 witnessed the highest number of passengers, followed by August. In July, the airport recorded 924 thousand passengers, reflecting a 12.14 percent increase compared to July 2022. The month of July 2023 also noted the highest percentage of arrivals, totaling 504 thousand and 26 arrivals (an increase of 8.79 percent from July 2022).
August 2023 recorded the highest number of departures through the airport, totaling 533 thousand and 947 passengers (compared to 475 thousand and 107 in August 2022, indicating a 12.38 percent increase). The total number of passengers in August 2023 was 915 thousand and 85 (compared to 796 thousand and 543 in August 2022, reflecting a 14.88 percent increase).
The airport traffic throughout the year 2023 was distributed as follows:
- The total number of passengers through Rafic Hariri International Airport was seven million and 127 thousand and 649 (an increase of 12.24 percent from 2022).
- The number of arrivals to Lebanon rose by 11.51 percent, reaching three million and 487 thousand and 427 passengers (compared to three million and 127 thousand and 207 in 2022).
- Departures from Lebanon also increased to three million and 634 thousand and 365 passengers (compared to three million and 213 thousand and 675 in 2022, marking a 13 percent rise).
However, the number of transit passengers decreased significantly by 35.5 percent, totaling 5,857 (down from 9,085 in 2022).
### Flight Operations:
The total number of flights operated by national, Arab, and foreign airlines using the airport in 2023 increased by 9.12 percent, amounting to 57,159 flights to and from Lebanon. This included 28,574 flights arriving in Lebanon (an increase of 9.21 percent compared to 2022) and 28,585 departing flights (an increase of 9 percent).
