The link has been copied successfully

Timeline for the Inauguration of Saudi International Airports

saudipedia Logo
Timeline for the Inauguration of Saudi International Airports
timeline
2 min read

1950

Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, developed in 2015 with an annual capacity of 4.8 million passengers, was awarded first place for the best regional airport in the Middle East in 2021.

1971

Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Buraydah City, Qassim Province, has an annual capacity of seven hundred thousand passengers.

1974

Hail International Airport, in Hail City, became an international airport in 2017, with an annual capacity of five hundred thousand passengers.

1976

Taif International Airport, in Taif Governorate, Makkah al-Mukarramah Province, has an annual capacity of 1.1 million passengers.

1977

Abha International Airport, in Abha City, Aseer Province, southwest of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, became an international airport in 2020, with an annual capacity of 1.6 million passengers.

1978

King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Airport, in Jazan City, southwest of the Kingdom, became an international airport in 2015, with an annual capacity of 6.3 million passengers after development.

1981

King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah City comprises six large passenger terminals, including the Pilgrims Lounge, the fourth largest passenger terminal in the world. It has an annual capacity of forty-one million passengers, scheduled to reach one hundred million passengers during the third expansion phase.

1983

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh City, comprises five main lounges, in addition to the private aviation lounge and the Royal Lounge, with an annual capacity of fourteen million passengers.

1985

Al-Ahsa International Airport, located in al-Hufuf City, al-Ahsa Governorate in the Eastern Province, became an international airport in 2013, with an annual capacity of one million passengers.

1999

King Fahd International Airport, in Dammam City, Eastern Province, is the largest airport in the world in terms of its affiliated lands, covering 776 km. It has an annual capacity of eight million passengers.

2011

Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk City, northwest of the Kingdom, is the Kingdom's fifth airport in terms of traffic, activity, and flight frequency, with an annual capacity of 1.5 million passengers. The airport was built in the early 1970s as a dirt airstrip, until it was developed in 1978 and converted into a military base at that time. In 2011, it became an independent international airport.

Prince Abdulmajeed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport, in alUla Governorate, was established in 2011, with an annual capacity of 250,000 passengers. It became an international airport in 2021. The airport has an annual capacity of four hundred thousand passengers. It covers a total area of around 2.4 million m.

2019

NEOM Bay Airport began operating regular international flights from the airport to selected destinations, including weekly flights to Dubai and London, as of the end of June 2022.

2023

The Red Sea International Airport, previously limited to domestic flights until April 18, 2024, when it received its first international flight, is set to reach an annual capacity of one million tourists through domestic and international flights by 2030. It is the Middle East's first carbon-free airport.