Saudi Arabia airports record 12.5 million passengers during Ramadan and the Eid al Fitr holiday

21 April 2024

More than 12.5 million people traveled to and from Saudia Arabia’s airports during Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday in 1445 AH, according to numbers released by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). The numbers refer to both local and international passengers from the beginning of Ramadan until the ninth of Shawwal, and reflect an increase in trips and passengers by more than 18 percent compared to the same period last year. The high numbers stem from operational integration between all government and private agencies.

Passengers across all of the Kingdom’s airports traveled on more than 86,000 flights (scheduled and charter, local and international), with 100 different air carriers. King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah served the largest number of passengers at 5.38 million, followed by King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which served 3.23 million passengers, and Prince Muhammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina, which served approximately 1.04 million passengers. The rest of the Kingdom’s airports served 2.85 million passengers, in both the arrival and departure stages.

His Excellency the President of GACA, Mr. Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, explained that these achievements result from the unlimited support that the aviation sector enjoys. He credited the country’s wise leadership as a major driver of economic growth and sustainable development. He stated that GACA relies on this input for its own efforts to help achieve the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and in developing the air transport system. Al-Duailej added that the aviation sector has contributed to achieving record numbers in economic and social development, and is a leading and pioneering global presence. GACA’s work aligns with the objectives of the National Aviation Strategy, he said, which aims for the sector to be a leader in the Middle East region and the world, and to double its capacity by 2030.

Al-Duailej expressed his thanks to partners from government agencies, the private sector, national air carriers, ground service companies, and airport operating companies that contributed to operational success during Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday, stressing that early preparations from all parties contributed to increased efficiency at all airports.