Jeddah Airport Sets Record with 53.4M Passengers

King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah handled 53.4 million passengers in 2025, the highest annual figure ever recorded by a Saudi airport, cementing its position as the Kingdom's busiest aviation hub. Located about 19 km north of central Jeddah, the airport is the main gateway for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims traveling to Mecca and Medina.

The airport is now classified among global "Mega Airports" — those serving 50 to 60 million passengers a year — and ranked 3rd worldwide in its category in the 2026 Skytrax rankings. In 2025 it processed more than 310,000 flights and 60.4 million pieces of baggage, a 12% rise compared with 2024.

Record start to 2026

Momentum continued into the new year. In the first quarter of 2026, the airport welcomed 14.8 million passengers, up 2.8% year-on-year, operating over 83,000 flights (up 7.2%) and handling 17.8 million pieces of baggage (up 3.7%).

January 2026 alone saw 5.45 million passengers, a 7.3% increase over January 2025, across 29,200 flights. The busiest operational week on record fell between 11 and 17 January 2026, with 1.28 million passengers in seven days, while the busiest single day ever was 17 January 2026, with 195,300 passengers and 1,089 flights.

The numbers underline the airport's national importance: it handled 38% of all passengers in Saudi Arabia in 2025, averaging 146,000 travelers per day and operating at 107% of its designed capacity. During the Hajj season, the dedicated Hajj Terminal is activated to process an additional 1.5 to 2 million passengers over roughly six weeks, with extensive scaling of flights and staffing to meet demand.

For residents and travelers in Jeddah, the sustained growth reflects rising connectivity and expanded flight options, though passengers are advised to allow extra time during peak periods given the high operational capacity.

---

Stay updated with the latest news, events, sports updates, business insights, real estate and lifestyle stories on Saudi Living — the leading online platform for residents, expats, and visitors in Saudi Arabia.

Follow Saudi Living for daily updates:

• Instagram - @saudiliving
• X - @saudiliving
• Facebook - @saudiliving
• YouTube - @saudiliving