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Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector sees record growth in 2025, as passenger traffic jumps, according to GACA
Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector posted record growth in 2025, outperforming regional peers, with passenger traffic rising 9.6% year on year, official data showed.
According to the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), total passenger numbers at Saudi airports reached about 140.9 million during the year, including 76 million international passengers and 65 million domestic travelers.
The growth was accompanied by an 8.3% increase in flight movements, with total flights rising to around 980,400, underscoring the continued recovery and expansion of the Kingdom’s air transport sector.
|
Saudi Airport Traffic in 2025 |
||
|
|
Passengers (mln) |
YoY Change |
|
International Passengers |
76 |
- |
|
Domestic Passengers |
65 |
- |
|
Total |
141 |
+9.6% |
King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah continued to lead passenger traffic, accounting for 38% of total travelers, with an average of 146,000 passengers per day, operating at 107% of its design capacity. King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh followed, handling 29% of total passengers, with an average daily traffic of 112,000.
Madinah and Dammam airports also recorded historic surges, with capacity utilization exceeding 137% and 112%, respectively.
|
Saudi Airports by Traffic Share in 2025 |
||
|
Airports |
Daily Passenger Traffic (‘000) |
% of Total |
|
KAIA |
146 |
38% |
|
KKIA |
112 |
29% |
On the international front, Saudi Arabia secured air connectivity to 176 international destinations with high frequencies (52 flights or more annually), and reinforced its position on some of the world’s busiest air routes. The Cairo–Jeddah route ranked second globally with 5.8 million seats, while Dubai–Riyadh placed seventh worldwide with 4.5 million seats.
In parallel with passenger growth, the air cargo sector remained stable, with volumes reaching 1.18 million tons, largely concentrated at the Kingdom’s three main airports—Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.
|
Air Cargo in Saudi Airports |
|
|
Airports |
Cargo (‘000 tons) |
|
KKIA |
576.6 |
|
KAIA |
458.9 |
|
King Fahd International Airport |
131.6 |
|
Other |
12.9 |
|
Total |
1180 |
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