Saudi Airports Handle 141 Million Passengers in 2025 as Aircraft Fleet Expandshttps://english.aawsat.com/business/5274826-saudi-airports-handle-141-million-passengers-2025-aircraft-fleet-expands
Saudi Airports Handle 141 Million Passengers in 2025 as Aircraft Fleet Expands
Travelers move through stanchion lines at the departure terminal of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. (AFP)
Saudi Arabia’s airports handled 140.9 million passengers in 2025, marking another year of strong growth for the Kingdom’s aviation sector as the national aircraft fleet expanded by 33.8%, according to data released by the General Authority for Statistics.
The number of passengers traveling through Saudi airports rose 9.6% from 2024, reflecting the Kingdom’s accelerating push to strengthen its position as a regional travel hub and global aviation gateway.
International traffic accounted for 75.8 million passengers, up 9.4% year-on-year, while domestic passenger traffic increased 9.8% to 65.1 million. On average, Saudi airports handled around 207,700 international passengers and 178,600 domestic passengers a day.
King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah remained the Kingdom’s busiest airport, handling 53.5 million passengers during the year, an increase of 9.0% from 2024. King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh followed with 40.8 million passengers, up 8.7%, while King Fahd International Airport in Dammam handled 13.7 million passengers, posting annual growth of 7.0%.
The increase in passenger traffic was accompanied by a rise in flight activity across the Kingdom’s airports. Total arriving and departing flights climbed 8.3% year-on-year to 979,800 flights in 2025, including 506,300 domestic flights, up 6.8%, and 473,500 international flights, up 9.9%.
King Abdulaziz International Airport also recorded the highest number of aircraft movements with 314,400 flights, followed by King Khalid International Airport with 296,800 flights and King Fahd International Airport with 108,500 flights.
Saudi Arabia’s aviation fleet recorded one of the strongest areas of growth during the year, with the total number of commercial and general aviation aircraft rising to 483 from the previous year’s level. The fleet included 266 commercial aircraft and 217 aircraft dedicated to general aviation.
Aircraft with capacities ranging from 151 to 250 seats accounted for the largest share of the commercial fleet at 120 aircraft, while the sector continued to modernize its operations, with 99 aircraft less than five years old.
The Kingdom also expanded its global air connectivity during 2025, with Saudi airports linked to 66 countries worldwide, up 1.5% from a year earlier. The total number of domestic and international destinations connected to the Kingdom rose 2.3% to 176 destinations.
Saudi Arabia ranked 18th globally in the 2025 Air Connectivity Index, underscoring the sector’s growing international reach.
Saudia accounted for the largest share of flights operating in Saudi airspace at 25.5%, followed by low-cost carrier flynas at 13.3% and flyadeal at 8.6%.
Air cargo volumes handled through Saudi airports totaled 1.18 million metric tons in 2025, with imports accounting for the largest share at 695,600 tons. Transit cargo reached nearly 420,100 tons, while exports exceeded 69,700 tons.
March recorded the highest monthly cargo throughput of the year, with more than 113,400 tons handled during the month.
The Kingdom also continued to expand logistics infrastructure at its main airports to support cargo growth and broader supply chain ambitions. King Fahd International Airport operated nine cargo facilities, while King Khalid International Airport had eight facilities and King Abdulaziz International Airport operated four integrated cargo facilities.
The expansion forms part of Saudi Arabia’s strategy to position itself as a global logistics hub linking Asia, Africa and Europe.
File photo: Storage tanks of an oil refinery of Essar Oil, which runs India's second biggest private sector refinery, are pictured in Vadinar in the western state of Gujarat, India, October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File photo
India Says Will Keep Expanding Oil Refining Capacity
File photo: Storage tanks of an oil refinery of Essar Oil, which runs India's second biggest private sector refinery, are pictured in Vadinar in the western state of Gujarat, India, October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File photo
India will continue to build new crude oil refineries in order to ensure supply chain security even as Western nations shut processing units, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
“No new refinery has come up in the US in the last five decades and capacity in Europe has also been constantly declining,” Bloomberg quoted Modi as saying on Saturday, as he inaugurated the country’s first new refinery in a decade. He said India will continue to expand capacity.
The 180,000-barrels-a-day greenfield refinery in the heart of Rajasthan’s Thar desert, which has 2.4 million tons a year of petrochemical capacity and was built at a cost of $8.3 billion, is likely to be the only new refinery commissioned globally this year, according to BloombergNEF analysts.
The facility expands India’s refining capacity at a time when much of the West is shutting plants and investment elsewhere has slowed, highlighting New Delhi’s strategy of betting that robust domestic fuel demand, slower-than-expected electric-vehicle adoption and exports of refined products will continue to justify billions of dollars in new oil-processing infrastructure.
Meanwhile, traders have sold gasoline produced by Indian refiner Nayara Energy to Russia, which is grappling with fuel shortages triggered by Ukrainian attacks on its energy infrastructure, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Thursday.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that Russia had begun seaborne imports of gasoline from India, without naming the supplier.
Reuters said that at least 60,000 metric tons of gasoline had been dispatched from India to Russia, citing an industry source, with another source saying that two tankers, carrying 30,000 to 40,000 tons each, had been sent.
Egypt Expects €1.5 billion from EU Assistance Package in Coming Dayshttps://english.aawsat.com/business/5292038-egypt-expects-%E2%82%AC15-billion-eu-assistance-package-coming-days
Egypt Expects €1.5 billion from EU Assistance Package in Coming Days
The Central Bank of Egypt in downtown Cairo (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Egypt expects to receive €1.5 billion ($1.72 billion) from the European Union in the coming days, the first of two remaining tranches of a €5 billion macro-financial assistance package, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Saturday.
Speaking at a press conference in Egypt's new administrative capital alongside European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica, Abdelatty said the outstanding €3 billion would be disbursed in two equal tranches of €1.5 billion each, Reuters reported.
He said Cairo hoped the last payment would be transferred by the start of the autumn.
The EU has so far disbursed €2 billion of the package, having transferred an initial €1 billion tranche in January 2025 and a second €1 billion earlier this year.
The macro-financial assistance forms part of a broader €7.4 billion funding deal the EU announced in 2024, which also includes €5 billion in concessional loans.
Saudi Hospitality Boom: 50 Global Brands Race Ahead with $120 Billion in Investmentshttps://english.aawsat.com/business/5292021-saudi-hospitality-boom-50-global-brands-race-ahead-120-billion-investments
Saudi Hospitality Boom: 50 Global Brands Race Ahead with $120 Billion in Investments
Jeddah Corniche stands out as one of the Kingdom's premier destinations for landmark tourism and hospitality developments (SPA).
Saudi Arabia continues to cement its position as one of the fastest-growing hospitality markets in the region and the world, driven by the rapid expansion of mega tourism projects and emerging destinations. This momentum is prompting the world's leading hotel companies to accelerate their investments and launch unprecedented projects across the Kingdom.
During the first half of this year, Saudi Arabia's hospitality sector continued to attract major investments, with leading international hotel groups announcing new hotel openings and signing record expansion agreements across the Kingdom's cities and flagship developments.
This activity coincides with Saudi Arabia maintaining the largest hotel pipeline in the Middle East, driven by pioneering destinations such as NEOM, the Red Sea, Qiddiya, and Diriyah, alongside continued growth in Riyadh, Makkah, and Madinah.
An Asharq Al-Awsat review found strong alignment between the expansion plans of these hospitality brands and the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. According to the latest Ministry of Tourism data, more than 50 global hospitality brands are expanding in the Kingdom through investments exceeding $120 billion, with plans to add more than 200,000 new hotel rooms. The private sector plays a pivotal role, contributing around 50 percent of these investments to meet growing demand and cater to the diverse preferences of travelers, from luxury hotels and coastal resorts to heritage and rural accommodations.
In this context, investors and tourism industry experts said the momentum reflects a qualitative transformation that is enhancing service standards and strengthening competitiveness, supported by an attractive investment environment and flexible regulatory frameworks that have successfully streamlined the investment journey for both foreign and domestic investors.
Global Investments
At the beginning of 2026, Marriott announced an agreement to add five new hotels in Jeddah, Makkah, and Madinah, providing more than 2,700 rooms.
Sofitel, the French luxury hospitality brand owned by Accor, also announced the official opening of the Sofitel Riyadh Hotel & Convention Center.
Knowledge Economic City also announced a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, the first property within the city's master plan. Designed to offer a new level of comfort and connectivity in Madinah, the project comes as Red Sea Global recently officially opened the SLS Red Sea Resort on Shura Island, marking the brand's first property in the Kingdom. The resort features 150 luxury accommodations, including guestrooms, suites, and private pool villas, in addition to a full-service spa, a cinema, and a range of vibrant leisure facilities.
Meanwhile, Saudi-based Blacksand and Marriott International signed an agreement to develop 10 new hotels across the Kingdom, adding more than 1,300 hotel rooms over the next four years. The deal reflects the strong momentum in Saudi Arabia's hospitality and tourism sectors in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
In April, the King Abdullah Financial District Development and Management Company (KAFD DMC), the entity responsible for managing and operating the district, opened W Riyadh – KAFD, marking the debut of the W Hotels brand in Saudi Arabia.
In the latest of these developments, The Ascott Limited recently announced plans to open Ascott Villas Riyadh in the fourth quarter of 2026. The project will be the company's first villa community in the Kingdom and will comprise 86 villas in Riyadh's Hittin district.
The announcement also reflects The Ascott Limited's broader expansion strategy, as the company seeks to strengthen its presence in the Saudi market as part of its plan to reach 15,000 units across the Kingdom by 2030, capitalizing on the continued growth of the tourism and business sectors in Riyadh and other major cities.
Reflecting the growing appeal of the Saudi market to leading international investors, Dar Global announced a strategic partnership with The Trump Organization to develop Trump International Tower Jeddah. The landmark luxury project, which will feature a five-star hotel and high-end branded residences, underscores the transformation of the Red Sea coastline into a magnet for some of the world's most prestigious hospitality and luxury brands.
A rendering of the new Ascott Villas Riyadh project (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Investor Confidence
Majed Al Hokair, a businessman and investor in the tourism and entertainment sector, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Kingdom's growing success in attracting global hotel brands reflects a qualitative transformation in its tourism sector.
"The focus is no longer simply on increasing the number of hotels. It is now about building an integrated tourism ecosystem that caters to a wide range of visitor segments," he said.
Al Hokair said the entry and expansion of prestigious international brands in cities such as Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, and Madinah reflects investors' confidence in the future of the Saudi market. It also enhances service quality and raises the level of competition, ultimately improving the visitor experience.
He added that tourists' preferences have evolved in recent years, and the Kingdom is increasingly able to meet those changing expectations through a diverse portfolio of hospitality offerings, including luxury hotels, boutique hotels, resorts, rural accommodations, and heritage accommodations, all distinguished by high standards of quality.
National Talent
For his part, tourism investor Nasser Abdulaziz Al Ghaylan told Asharq Al-Awsat that the continued momentum in the entry and expansion of global hotel brands will position Saudi Arabia among the region's leading tourism and investment destinations in the years ahead, particularly with the rollout of major developments such as NEOM, the Red Sea, Qiddiya, and Diriyah, alongside the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
Al Ghaylan said the long-term success of these investments will depend on continued investment in developing Saudi talent, enhancing the visitor experience, and providing a diverse and sustainable range of tourism offerings, ensuring balanced growth that further strengthens the Kingdom's position on the global tourism map.
The Ministry of Tourism recently released a report titled Global Investments in Saudi Tourism to coincide with its participation in the Future Hospitality Summit, held in Riyadh from June 22 to 24. The report highlighted the growing interest among international investors in entering the Saudi tourism market and expanding their presence in the Kingdom.
Mövenpick Resort Al Khobar enhances the appeal of tourism destinations along the Eastern Province's coastline (SPA).
The report notes that more than 50 global hospitality brands are expanding across the Kingdom, supported by growing tourism demand and a comprehensive investment environment that has positioned Saudi Arabia as the Middle East's largest tourism market in terms of tourism development projects.
It highlights key indicators reflecting the sector's accelerating momentum, including investments exceeding $120 billion and the addition of more than 200,000 new hotel rooms by 2030, with around 50 percent of those projects expected to be financed by the private sector.
The report also highlights the investment environment underpinning the sector's growth, pointing to significant improvements in the tourism sector's regulatory framework, streamlined licensing procedures, investment incentives, digital services, and business centers that help shorten the investor journey, enhance clarity around regulatory requirements, and facilitate access to the relevant government entities.
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