Over 128 million travelers passed through Saudi airports in 2024 marking a 15% increase compared to 2023 and a 25% rise from pre-pandemic levels.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) released its Air Traffic 2024 Report detailing a significant uptick in passengers, number of flights and cargo traffic last year. Key data points include:
- Of the 128 million travellers, 59 million were on domestic flights, while 69 million travelled internationally.
- The number of flights reached 905,000 in 2024. An 11% increase over 2023.
- Domestic flights accounted for 474,000 movements, while international routes recorded 431,000 flights.
- A 16% increase in air connectivity, with Saudi Arabia now linked to over 170 destinations with the country’s four primary airports, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Madinah, handling 82% of total air traffic.
- Air cargo traffic rose 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).
- According to the British global travel data provider OAG, the Jeddah-Riyadh route had the largest increase in capacity among domestic routes in 2024, while the Cairo-Jeddah route ranked as the second busiest international route worldwide.
- During the recent Hajj season 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.
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