KAIA Expands Self-Service Kiosks and E-Gates in Jeddah

King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah has expanded its self-service and smart-travel facilities in Terminal 1, adding more kiosks and upgraded security lanes to reduce waiting times for departing passengers. The move is part of a national smart-travel program under Vision 2030.

Terminal 1 now offers around 80 self-service kiosks for check-in and boarding pass printing, along with automated baggage drop-off in Area A2. The kiosks operate in both Arabic and English and are free of charge for ticketed passengers, who can print boarding passes, tag their bags, and proceed straight to self-service baggage drop without visiting a counter.

The airport has also introduced 70 e-gates across Terminal 1 and the Executive Office facilities. Each e-gate can process about 2,500 passengers giving a combined capacity of up to 175,000 passengers daily. To use an e-gate, a passenger scans their passport or boarding pass, after which facial recognition and fingerprint checks are carried out automatically against immigration and security databases. Once verified, the gate opens and the passenger heads directly to baggage drop or security screening.

Why it matters

The upgraded security lanes use enhanced automated document and identity checks, cutting manual processing and shortening queues, with reported reductions in waiting times of up to around 70% for eligible passengers. KAIA is the third airport in the Kingdom to use the e-gate system, after King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and NEOM Bay Airport.

Using the kiosks, e-gates, or upgraded security lanes does not require Absher, Muqeem, Qiwa, Najiz, Nafath, or Tawakkalna accounts, as processing relies on passport, boarding pass, and biometric data. There are no separate fees for these services beyond the price of a ticket. Standard rules still apply: passengers must hold valid travel documents and, where relevant, valid visas, though those platforms are used only for underlying visa status, not at the kiosk or e-gate itself.

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