Saudi air passengers rise 9% to record 103 million

Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector recorded historic highs in the first nine months of 2025, handling 103.1 million passengers and connecting to 170 destinations worldwide, according to the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).

 

Passenger numbers rose 9% over the same period in 2024, which itself was a record year for the kingdom, while flight movements also surpassed previous highs, reaching 713,000 between January and September 2025, a 5% year-on-year increase.

 

GACA attributed the record figures to continued expansion in air connectivity, infrastructure investment and airline growth underpinning Saudi’s Vision 2030 aviation strategy. 

 

In the January-September 2025 period, the number of international destinations served from Saudi airports climbed 16% year-on-year to 170, with major developments spanning new routes, frequency increases and even new airlines.

 

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Recently launching operations, Riyadh Air will fly to London Heathrow and Dubai by the end of 2025, targeting a network of more than 100 destinations by 2030. National carrier Saudia has added 11 new routes this year taking its network beyond 100 points, while Qatar Airways continues to expand in the kingdom, commencing thrice-weekly flights to Red Sea International Airport and set to add its 13th Saudi city in 2026.

 

Globally, Delta Air Lines will launch Atlanta-Riyadh nonstop flights in October 2026, marking its first-ever service to the kingdom. 

 

His Excellency Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, President of GACA, said Saudi aviation is “delivering sustained passenger and connectivity growth in support of the kingdom’s Vision 2030 ambitions". 

 

To meet surging demand, Riyadh’s King Salman International Airport is undergoing a US$30 billion expansion, with six runways, advanced terminals and a design capacity of up to 120 million passengers annually by 2030.

 

Saudi’s strong aviation performance mirrors wider regional growth, with the Middle East’s air passenger traffic rising an estimated 15% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2025, according to IATA, driven by robust international demand and record seat capacity. Overall passenger traffic in the region is projected to reach 450 million travellers by the end of the year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time.

 

For more information, visit gaca.gov.sa