The management of King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, announced the launch of a comprehensive strategic development plan aimed at modernizing the transportation and movement system between terminals, in a step aimed at bringing about a qualitative shift in operational efficiency and speeding up travel procedures, in line with the rapid growth in air traffic in the Kingdom.
This move comes in response to the growing demand for air travel, with the first phase of these development operations scheduled to begin between February 16 and 25. The plan is based on three key pillars: improving the operational efficiency of existing facilities, streamlining and expediting the passenger journey, and re-engineering transit procedures between domestic and international flights to ensure seamless operations.
Strategic dimensions that align with the Kingdom's Vision 2030
This announcement cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader context of the major transformations underway in Saudi Arabia. The King Khalid International Airport development project is directly aligned with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy , launched by the Saudi Crown Prince, which aims to solidify the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub connecting three continents. The aviation sector is a cornerstone of this vision, as the Kingdom seeks to reach 330 million passengers annually by 2030 and connect itself to more than 250 international destinations.
The timing of this development is of particular importance with the ongoing preparations for the launch of the new national carrier, "Riyadh Airlines," which calls for world-class airport infrastructure capable of accommodating the expected heavy traffic and providing a travel experience comparable to the best international airports.
Ambitious growth figures and targets
The airport management revealed the precise digital targets for this development process, reflecting the scale of the ambition, with expectations including:
- A leap in capacity: Increasing the total capacity for terminal transfers from an expected 42 million passengers in 2025 to 56 million passengers by the end of 2026.
- Record growth: Achieving an annual increase in operational capacity of up to 33% compared to the previous year, which enhances the airport's ability to handle peak seasons with high efficiency.
- Reducing travel time: Working to reduce the actual and time distances between terminals, thus reducing the effort and time spent traveling, which is a crucial factor in assessing the quality of airports globally.
- Supporting transit tourism: Facilitating the movement of passengers on connecting (transit) flights to serve approximately 7.5 million passengers annually, thus enhancing Riyadh’s position as a major stopover hub in the region.
Enhancing regional and international competitiveness
Improving the passenger experience, particularly in terms of seamless travel and reduced waiting times, is a crucial benchmark for competitiveness among international airports. Through these improvements, King Khalid International Airport aims to set a regional benchmark, positively impacting the Kingdom's tourism and economic sectors and supporting efforts to attract foreign investment, which requires advanced and reliable logistics infrastructure.
The airport management confirmed at the end of its announcement that these measures are part of a broader and ongoing plan to develop the infrastructure, to ensure the provision of the highest quality services to arriving, departing and transit passengers, befitting the status of the capital Riyadh as an emerging global destination.
