Saudi Arabia welcomes record 128 million passengers in 2024
A new high for tourism in the Kingdom…
Saudi Arabia is quickly climbing the global travel and tourism rankings, with the total number of people travelling through the airports across the Kingdom exceeding 128 million during the year 2024. This figure has catapulted by 15 per cent compared to the previous year.
Is Saudi Arabia set to become one of the world’s biggest travel hubs? Well, it could be.
According to the Air Transport Statistics Publication 2024, published by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), there has been a notable increase in passenger traffic at the Kingdom’s airports last year compared to 2023.
It was recorded that the number of international flight passengers surpassed 69 million, representing a 14 per cent rise from 2023, while domestic flight passengers exceeded 59 million, an increase of 16 per cent from the same year.
King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah ranked first in passenger numbers, welcoming approximately 49 million travellers with a growth rate of 14 per cent.
It was followed by King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which handled 37.6 million passengers with an 18 per cent increase.
King Fahd International Airport in Dammam ranked third, serving 12.8 million passengers, reflecting a 15 per cent increase.
The average daily number of domestic flight passengers at the Kingdom’s airports was approximately 162,000, while the average for international flights was around 189,000.
The total number of aircraft in the Kingdom’s fleet reached 361, marking an 11 per cent increase from 2023. The commercial aviation fleet accounted for the largest share, with 258 aircraft, reflecting a 12 per cent rise from 2023 and a capacity of over 250 passengers, totalling 97 aircraft. Meanwhile, the general aviation fleet comprised 103 aircraft, indicating a 7 per cent increase.
Big changes are coming…
Saudi Arabia is preparing for the aviation sector to play an even bigger role in its future.
Increased technology integration, enhancing airport infrastructure, greater connectivity, and the rollout of new airlines will see the Kingdom reach its Vision 2030 goals. A key development in the sector is the highly anticipated debut of Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new full-service airline, which is set to launch this summer.
Furthermore, to manage the influx of passengers that new airlines will attract, Saudi Arabia is making significant investments in airport infrastructure.
King Salman International Airport in Riyadh is poised to become one of the world’s largest airports, with ongoing developments. The airport aims to increase its capacity to accommodate 120 million passengers by 2030.
King Khalid International Airport’s expansion includes upgrades to Terminals 1 and 2, boosting capacity to 14 million passengers annually.
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