Second Airports Cluster Achieves Record Numbers in H1 2025

The Second Airports Cluster recorded exceptional performance during the first half of 2025, achieving record figures that reflect ongoing efforts to develop the efficiency of services provided to passengers.

 Indicators showed significant growth in passenger traffic, with 1.60 million passengers on international flights and more than 7 million passengers on domestic flights, compared with 1.47 million international passengers and 6.96 million domestic passengers during the same period in 2024, marking a growth rate of 10.4%.

 As for the number of flights, international flights exceeded 13,000, while domestic flights reached 58,200, and private aviation flights surpassed 8,000. This compares with 12,000 international flights, 55,000 domestic flights, and 7,600 private flights in the first half of 2024, representing an overall growth rate of 7%.

 Air cargo traffic also witnessed remarkable growth, with a total of 730,000 kilograms transported in the first half of 2025, reflecting a growth rate of 43.3% compared with the same period last year.

 This period also saw the launch of several new flights, including Abha–Doha, Taif–Alexandria, and NEOM Bay–London Gatwick. Seasonal routes included Tabuk–Trabzon, Qassim–Sarajevo, Trabzon, and Rize-Artvin, Abha–Cairo, Al-Baha–Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. Charter flights included Taif to Tehran, Ahvaz, Khorramabad, and Baghdad, as well as flights from Arar, Al-Qurayyat, and Qassim to selected cities to support pilgrim movement.

 Saudi airports achieved remarkable operational success during this year’s Hajj season, implementing a comprehensive 24-hour operational plan with full readiness for firefighting and emergency services, in addition to deploying field teams to serve pilgrims and providing guidance services to ensure smooth movement and easy procedures across all facilities.

 Several airports earned awards, including King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport, which received the Award for Excellence in Aviation Security, while Najran International Airport was named the Best Airport in the Middle East for the under two million passengers category for 2024.

 Arar International Airport welcomed 59,449 passengers transported on 195 flights, with 1,276 buses deployed to serve pilgrims efficiently. Taif Airport operated 62 charter flights to and from Iran and Iraq, while Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Qassim handled nine cargo aircraft carrying a total of 109,130 kilograms of goods.