Saudi Arabia’s airports witnessed a significant increase in passenger traffic in 2025, with numbers rising by 9.6 percent to reach a total of 140.9 million travelers. According to recent statistics, international passengers made up a substantial portion of this figure, totaling 75.8 million, which marks a 9.4 percent increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, domestic travelers numbered 65.1 million, reflecting a 9.8 percent growth. This surge aligns with the Kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global aviation and tourism hub by expanding airport capacity, developing airlines, and enhancing connectivity. The country has already surpassed its target of welcoming 100 million tourists annually and has increased its goal to 150 million by 2030.
Despite regional disruptions due to conflicts involving Iran that led to airspace closures and flight cancellations in parts of the Middle East, Saudi airports managed to handle over 12.1 million passengers between the Islamic months of Ramadan 1 and Shawwal 9, corresponding to February 18 and March 28. The General Authority of Civil Aviation reported that King Abdulaziz International Airport led the Kingdom’s airports in passenger traffic, recording 53.5 million travelers, a 9 percent increase from 2024. King Khalid International Airport followed with 40.8 million passengers, up by 8.7 percent, and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam saw a 7 percent rise with 13.7 million passengers.
In a meeting held on May 15 in Riyadh, the President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, highlighted the resilience of Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector amidst global challenges. He noted that from February 28 to May 3, the Kingdom facilitated over 2,000 flights from neighboring countries, transporting more than 258,000 passengers while maintaining efficient air traffic operations. The report further detailed that in 2025, Saudi airports handled around 178,600 domestic and 207,700 international passengers daily, with the total number of flights reaching 979,800, an 8.3 percent increase from the previous year.
Domestic flights accounted for 506,300 of the total, a 6.8 percent rise, while international flights numbered 473,500, showing a 9.9 percent increase. King Abdulaziz International Airport managed the most flights at 314,400, followed by King Khalid International Airport with 296,800, and King Fahd International Airport with 108,500. The average daily domestic and international flights in the Kingdom stood at 1,387 and 1,297, respectively. In 2025, the Kingdom’s total aircraft fleet expanded to 483, marking a 33.8 percent increase from the year before, while air cargo volume reached 1.18 million tonnes, predominantly inbound cargo.
Saudi Arabia expanded its international reach by serving 66 countries, a 1.5 percent increase compared to 2024, and reached 176 destinations, up by 2.3 percent from the previous year. Saudia emerged as the leading airline in airspace utilization, accounting for 25.5 percent of total flights, followed by flynas and flyadeal. Despite slipping to 18th place from 17th in the previous year’s Global Air Connectivity Index, Saudi Arabia continues to enhance its position as a key player in the global aviation industry.