Transport Minister expects over 130M air travelers in 2025

Saleh Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistic Services

The number of passengers traveling through Saudi airports is expected to exceed 130 million this year, Transport and Logistic Services Minister Saleh Al-Jasser said.

He highlighted that passenger growth has been significant, with a target of reaching 330 million travelers by 2030.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in an interview with Al Arabiya TV, Al-Jasser noted that the number of direct international destinations connected to Saudi Arabia has increased to around 200, compared to about 100 before the COVID-19 pandemic, and is expected to grow further in the coming years.

He added that private-sector investments in Saudi Arabia’s logistics sector have exceeded SAR 200 billion since the launch of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy through the end of 2024, and the figure continues to rise.

Al-Jasser said that four airports are currently open for private-sector investment at different stages of privatization — Abha, Taif, Qassim, and Hail airports — with more expected to follow.

Regarding confirmed aircraft orders by national airlines, the minister said they total more than 500 aircraft, noting a growing interest from foreign airlines to increase their flights to the Kingdom.

He also revealed that a new airline license was recently announced in the Eastern Province, stressing that this does not preclude granting additional licenses to airlines operating from regional airports.

On the ports sector, Al-Jasser noted that almost all port investments come from the private sector, with contracts worth over SAR 20 billion signed in recent years for expansion and service development projects.

Regarding the “Dream of the Desert” train project, he said it represents a new milestone in Saudi Arabia’s railway sector, being developed through a partnership between Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR)—which owns the Kingdom’s railway infrastructure—and an Italian company to operate a luxury train service.

He added that bookings for the new train will open before the end of 2025, with operations set to begin before the end of 2026, emphasizing that the project reflects international investors’ confidence in Saudi Arabia’s transport environment, as well as its regulatory and economic development.