Riyadh: The air transport sector in Saudi Arabia experienced remarkable growth in 2024, achieving unprecedented records in passenger numbers. Over 128 million travelers passed through various airports across the kingdom, with 59 million on domestic flights and 69 million on international routes.

According to Saudi Press Agency, this marks a 15% increase compared to 2023 and a 25% rise from pre-pandemic levels, confirming the recovery of the aviation sector from the impacts of COVID-19.

The Air Traffic 2024 Report released by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) noted that the number of flights across Saudi airports increased by 11 percent compared to 2023, recording 905,000 flights: 474,000 domestic and 431,000 international.

The report also noted a 16% increase in air connectivity, with Saudi Arabia now linked to over 170 destinations worldwide.

Air cargo experienced exceptional growth as well, rising 34% to exceed 1.2 million tons in 2024, of which 1.17 million tons were handled by the three largest airports: King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (573,000 tons), King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah (461,000 tons), and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam (140,000 tons).

The four main airports in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah accounted for 82% of the total air traffic.

During the recent Hajj season, which extended from May 9 to July 21, air traffic recorded a notable increase, with 1.5 million pilgrims arriving in the kingdom, representing 40% of total international travelers during that period.

According to the British global travel data provider OAG, the Jeddah-Riyadh route saw the largest increase in capacity globally among domestic routes in 2024, while the Cairo-Jeddah route ranked as the second busiest international route worldwide.