According to data from the General Authority for Statistics of Saudi Arabia, the number of passengers passing through the country’s airports reached 140.9 million in 2025, marking a 9.6% increase.
According to these statistics, 75.8 million of these passengers were international travelers, representing a 9.4% rise compared to the previous year. The number of domestic flight passengers also reached 65.1 million, showing a growth of 9.8%.
The newspaper Arab News reported that this growth is taking place within the framework of Saudi Arabia’s “Vision 2030” program, which aims to transform the country into a global aviation and tourism hub through airport development, airline expansion, and the increase of flight routes.
Saudi Arabia had previously surpassed its initial target of attracting 100 million tourists annually and has now raised its 2030 target to 150 million tourists.
However, the growth of Saudi Arabia’s aviation industry in 2025 was also affected by regional tensions and conflicts. Disruptions caused by attacks by the Islamic Republic and the closure of parts of Middle Eastern airspace led to the cancellation of some flights.
Despite these conditions, the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation announced that the country’s airports served more than 12.1 million passengers between February 18 and March 28 alone.
In the latest report by the General Authority for Statistics of Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz International Airport was identified as the busiest airport in the country, recording 53.5 million passengers. This figure represents an increase of about 9% compared to 2024.
It was followed by King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with 40.8 million passengers, registering an 8.7% growth. King Fahd International Airport in Dammam also reported a 7% increase, handling 13.7 million passengers.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
