Saudi Airports Record 103 Million Passengers in Nine Months as Aviation Growth Accelerates Under Vision 2030

Saudi Arabia’s airports handled 103.1 million passengers between January and September 2025, marking a 9 percent rise compared with the same period last year, according to new figures released by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).

The data also showed that total flight movements reached 713,000, up 5 percent year-on-year, expanding air connectivity across more than 170 international and domestic destinations. The continued growth reflects the Kingdom’s ambition to transform its aviation sector into a global hub for tourism, business, and logistics under the Vision 2030 reform plan.

GACA President Abdulaziz Al-Duailej said the latest results highlight the strong performance of Saudi aviation in line with national objectives. “Saudi aviation is delivering sustained passenger and connectivity growth in support of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 agenda, providing unprecedented investment opportunities for the global aviation sector,” he said.

Under the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, Saudi Arabia aims to increase the aviation sector’s contribution to the national economy from 6 percent of GDP in 2021 to 10 percent by 2030. The plan is also expected to generate additional non-oil revenues of approximately SR45 billion ($11.9 billion) annually, supporting the broader goal of diversifying the economy.

In addition to strong passenger traffic, Saudi airports handled 866,000 tonnes of air cargo during the first nine months of the year. This included 567,000 tonnes of origin-and-destination freight and 299,000 tonnes of transit cargo, reflecting the Kingdom’s growing role as a regional logistics center.

Al-Duailej also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s recent re-election to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council for the 2026–2028 term, describing it as a recognition of the country’s global leadership in the aviation sector. “The ICAO Council re-election result reflects the constructive global leadership role Saudi Arabia is playing in aviation, strengthening international partnerships to deliver greater global connectivity and economic prosperity,” he said.

The figures were presented during the 18th Aviation Program Steering Committee meeting, chaired by Al-Duailej and attended by Ahmed S. Al-Hassan, assistant minister of Transport and Logistics Services. The committee reviewed key sectoral developments, including progress in charter and private aviation.

Among the milestones discussed was VistaJet becoming the first international private operator authorized to conduct domestic flights within Saudi Arabia — a move expected to expand business travel options and enhance premium aviation services in the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia’s aviation strategy continues to gain global attention as new infrastructure projects, partnerships, and policy reforms accelerate the transformation of the sector into one of the central pillars of the Kingdom’s economic future.