King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in the Saudi port city of Jeddah served 49.1 million passengers in 2024, representing a 14 per cent growth compared to the previous year.
In a statement, Jeddah Airports said that this achievement marks a “historic milestone,” as KAIA handled the highest annual operational figure in the history of airports in the kingdom in 2024.
The airport’s busiest day ever recorded was on December 31, when it served more than 174,600 passengers.
December also became the busiest month in the airport’s history, with passenger numbers surpassing 4.7m.
Strengthening the aviation sector is crucial for Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom aims to position itself as a global tourism hub by the end of this decade.
The National Tourism Strategy of Saudi Arabia aims to attract 150m visitors by 2030 and increase the sector’s contribution to the nation’s gross domestic product from 6pc to 10pc.
KAIA also reported a significant increase in total flights last year, which exceeded 278,000, marking an 11pc increase compared to 2023.
The statement added that KAIA also handled 47.1m bags in 2024, with a 21pc growth in operational throughput.
Mazen Johar, CEO of Jeddah Airports, attributed this rise in numbers to the KAIA’s accelerated operational growth, enabled by the kingdom’s leadership and the close oversight of the Ministry of Transport and Logistics.
Meanwhile, the kingdom’s national carrier, Saudia, has topped the list of global airlines in departure on-time performance with a punctuality rate of 88.82pc in 2024, according to new data from the independent aviation tracking site Cirium.
According to a statement, Saudia also ranked second globally in arrival on-time performance, achieving a rate of 86.35pc.
Over the past 12 months, the airline successfully operated 192,560 flights across its network of more than 100 destinations spanning four continents.
“We are proud to sustain excellence in global operational performance, which aligns with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and the National Aviation Sector Strategy,” said Saudia Group director general Ibrahim Al Omar.
“This achievement reflects the collective efforts of Saudia Group employees across all business units and highlights the integrated role played by various sectors in ensuring operational efficiency. These efforts are directly tied to enhancing and improving the guest experience.”
Saudia operates more than 530 daily flights, connecting more than 100 destinations across four continents to the kingdom with a fleet of 144 aircraft.
The airline added that it plans to expand its fleet with 130 new aircraft in the coming years, increasing flight frequency and seat capacity to existing destinations while introducing new destinations to its network.
SOURCE: ARABVIEW
