Although Oman Air, the flagship company of the Sultanate of Oman’s Civil Aviation sector, was founded in 1981, it began operations in 1993. It was a merger between Gulf Air Light Aircraft division and Oman International Services that resulted in the formation of this airline, under the name of Oman Aviation Services. Its inaugural flight was from Muscat to Salalah. Oman Air commenced its international operations in July 1993, with a flight to Dubai. In the same year, the airline started its services to India, with a flight to Thiruvananthapuram. In 2001, Oman Air became the first International foreign Airline to fly to Kochi, India.

The government holds 33.8% stake. It operates scheduled domestic and international passenger services, as well as local air taxi and charter work. Its main hub is at the Muscat International Airport, Muscat. The airline is member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization, a regional airline trade organization of Arab air services, founded in 1965.

Oman Air maintains a fleet of Boeing 737-800, Boeing 737-700, ATR 42-500 and Airbus A330-243 and a few new other aircrafts. Oman Air covers an extensive network of international routes, with destinations in over 15 countries, from its primary hub in Muscat. It flies to France, Germany, and United Kingdom in Europe and Egypt in North Africa. The airline also covers Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Lebanon in South West Asia and Thailand in South East Asia. Oman Air serves India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Asia. Domestically, the airline flies to Khasat, Muscat and Salalah. In India, Oman Air flies to Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, and Delhi.  It also flies on several other routes.