In 2025, Saudi Arabia’s airports experienced a surge in passenger traffic, totaling 140.9 million travelers, a 9.6 percent increase from the previous year. This growth aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to transform the nation into a premier aviation and tourism hub. The country has already exceeded its initial target of 100 million annual tourists, prompting an upward revision of its 2030 goal to 150 million. The increase in passenger numbers includes 75.8 million international travelers, a 9.4 percent rise, and 65.1 million domestic passengers, marking a 9.8 percent increase.
Despite regional disruptions due to the Iran conflict, which led to airspace closures and flight cancellations, Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector showed resilience. From February 18 to March 28, during the Islamic months of Ramadan and Shawwal, Saudi airports managed over 12.1 million passengers. The General Authority of Civil Aviation noted that King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah was the busiest, with 53.5 million passengers, a 9 percent increase from 2024. King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh followed with 40.8 million passengers, up 8.7 percent, and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam handled 13.7 million passengers, a 7 percent rise.
During the 20th meeting of the Aviation Program Activation Steering Committee held in Riyadh on May 15, GACA President Abdulaziz Al-Duailej highlighted the Kingdom’s ability to maintain smooth air traffic amidst global challenges. Between February 28 and May 3, Saudi airports facilitated over 2,000 flights operated by neighboring countries, transporting more than 258,000 passengers. In 2025, the nation managed about 178,600 domestic and 207,700 international passengers daily, with a total of 979,800 flights, an 8.3 percent increase from the prior year.
The rise in aviation activity is further reflected in the growth of the aircraft fleet for both commercial and general aviation, which expanded to 483, a 33.8 percent increase. Saudi Arabia’s air cargo operations also saw significant activity, with a total volume of 1.18 million tonnes in 2025. Inbound cargo led the way with 695,600 tonnes, followed by transit cargo at 420,100 tonnes and outbound cargo at 69,700 tonnes. The number of international destinations serviced by Saudi airports rose to 176, covering 66 countries, a 2.3 percent increase in destinations from 2024.
In terms of airspace utilization, Saudia was the leading airline, accounting for 25.5 percent of total flights within Saudi airspace. Flynas and flyadeal followed with 13.3 percent and 8.6 percent, respectively. Despite the intense competition, Saudi Arabia ranked 18th globally on the Global Air Connectivity Index in 2025, slipping one spot from its position in 2024. These developments underscore the Kingdom’s commitment to expanding its aviation sector, even amidst challenging regional circumstances.