In 2025, Saudi airports saw a significant rise in passenger traffic, reaching 140.9 million, marking a 9.6 percent increase. This surge is part of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to fulfill its Vision 2030, aiming to position the country as a global center for aviation and tourism. The Kingdom’s strategy encompasses airport expansions, airline growth, and enhanced connectivity, with a revised tourism target of 150 million by 2030, having already surpassed the initial goal of 100 million annual tourists. Despite regional disruptions due to airspace closures and flight cancellations caused by conflicts in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector continues to demonstrate resilience.
International travelers comprised 75.8 million of the total passengers, reflecting a 9.4 percent year-on-year growth, while domestic travelers reached 65.1 million, up by 9.8 percent. The General Authority of Civil Aviation reported that during the period from Ramadan 1 to Shawwal 9 (Feb. 18 to March 28), more than 12.1 million passengers passed through Saudi airports. King Abdulaziz International Airport emerged as the busiest, with 53.5 million passengers, an increase of 9 percent from 2024, followed by King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
GACA President Abdulaziz Al-Duailej emphasized the Kingdom’s adaptability in the face of global operational challenges, citing efficient contingency planning and expanded airport capacity. Between Feb. 28 and May 3, Saudi airports accommodated over 2,000 flights from neighboring countries, transporting more than 258,000 passengers while maintaining smooth air traffic. The data also reveals that the Kingdom handled approximately 178,600 domestic and 207,700 international passengers daily in 2025, with total arriving and departing flights reaching 979,800, an 8.3 percent rise from the previous year.
In terms of flight operations, domestic flights numbered 506,300, up by 6.8 percent, and international flights reached 473,500, an increase of 9.9 percent. King Abdulaziz International Airport led with 314,400 flights, followed by King Khalid International Airport and King Fahd International Airport. The average number of daily domestic flights across all Saudi airports was 1,387, while international flights averaged 1,297 daily. Additionally, the commercial and general aviation aircraft fleet expanded to 483, a 33.8 percent increase from the previous year.
Air cargo operations in 2025 saw a total volume of 1.18 million tonnes, with inbound cargo being the largest share at 695,600 tonnes. The number of countries connected through Saudi international airports rose to 66, with 176 destinations served, illustrating a 2.3 percent annual increase. In the realm of airspace utilization, Saudia led with 25.5 percent of total flights, followed by flynas and flyadeal. On the Global Air Connectivity Index, Saudi Arabia ranked 18th globally in 2025, a slight dip from 17th in 2024.