Riyadh Airport Tops Saudi Aviation Hub Ranking

King Khalid International Airport outperformed other international aviation hubs in Saudi Arabia for overall performance in September, according to official data. According to the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Riyadh’s KKIA emerged topmost in the category of international airports serving over 15 million passengers annually with a compliance rate of 82 %. GACA monitors 11 operational performance standards that track passenger experience, such as check-in, security, passport and customs control. The other touchpoints include assistance for people with limited mobility and airport delays. In the same category, Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport received a compliance rate of 82 % but fell short of the average waiting time for arriving and departing flights compared to Riyadh’s KKIA. According to the GACA report, Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport maintained the first spot in the second category, where the number of passengers ranges between 5 million to 15 million annually, with a compliance rate of 91 % in September, up from 82 % recorded in the previous month. Madinah’s Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport received rating of 73 % in September, down from 82 % in August.

In the third category of international airports, those serving between 2 million and 5 million passengers annually, Abha International secured first place with a 100 % compliance rate, up from 91 % in August. Jizan’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport also achieved a 100 % compliance rate, up from 82 % recorded in the previous month. Meanwhile, Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz International was ranked first in the fourth category of international airports, those receiving less than 2 million passengers annually, with a 100 % compliance rate in September for the third month in a row. The airport outperformed competitors in total average waiting time for departure and arrival flights. The fifth category is a ranking for domestic airports, in which Gurayat Airport came first, achieving a 100 % rate, reflecting stability since July figures. The National Aviation Strategy is one of the critical elements in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, as the Kingdom aims to diversify its revenue sources by elevating its travel and tourism sector. According to the strategy, Saudi Arabia aims to increase air connectivity to 250 destinations, reaching 330 million passengers and double air cargo capacity to 4.5 million tons by 2030.