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Saudi Arabia's Second Airports Cluster sees 10 per cent passenger growth and 43 per cent cargo surge in H1 2025
Saudi Arabia's Second Airports Cluster reported record results in the first half of 2025, with strong growth across passenger traffic, flights, and air cargo operations.
Passenger numbers rose to 1.6m on international flights and more than 7m on domestic flights, compared with 1.47m international passengers and 6.96m domestic passengers in the same period of 2024 — a growth rate of 10.4 per cent.
Flight activity also expanded, with 13,000 international flights, 58,200 domestic flights, and 8,000 private aviation flights, compared to 12,000 international, 55,000 domestic, and 7,600 private flights in H1 2024, reflecting overall growth of 7 per cent.
Air cargo volumes surged 43.3 per cent year-on-year, reaching 730,000 kilograms in H1 2025.
New and seasonal routes in Saudi Arabia
The cluster launched new international routes, including: Abha–Doha, Taif–Alexandria, and NEOM Bay–London Gatwick. Seasonal flights included Tabuk–Trabzon, Qassim–Sarajevo, Trabzon–Rize-Artvin, Abha–Cairo, Al-Baha–Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam.
Charter flights connected Taif with Tehran, Ahvaz, Khorramabad, and Baghdad, alongside additional services from Arar, Al-Qurayyat, and Qassim to support pilgrim travel.
Saudi airports delivered smooth operations during the 2025 Hajj season through a 24-hour operational plan, with readiness for firefighting and emergency services.
Field teams were deployed to serve pilgrims, while guidance services ensured smooth movement and simplified procedures across facilities.
Saudi Arabia's second airports cluster highlights
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport received the Award for Excellence in Aviation Security
Najran International Airport was named Best Airport in the Middle East (under 2m passengers) for 2024
Arar International Airport handled 59,449 passengers on 195 flights, supported by 1,276 buses for pilgrims
Taif Airport operated 62 charter flights to and from Iran and Iraq
Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Qassim managed nine cargo aircraft carrying 109,130 kilograms of goods
The results highlight the growing role of Saudi Arabia's regional airports in enhancing connectivity, supporting tourism, and ensuring smooth operations for millions of passengers annually.
