Saudi Arabia Reveals Plans For 6 Runway Mega-Airport In Riyadh

Simple Flying

By Linnea Ahlgren

Published Nov 28, 2022

King Salman International Airport will feature six runways and create over 100,000 jobs.

Photo: Getty Images

Saudi Arabia is on a mission to increase the country's standing as a tourist destination and transit hub. To that effect, the authorities have envisioned a new mega airport in Riyadh. On Monday, the master plan was announced for what is to be named the King Salman International Airport and is expected to become one of the largest in the world.

Will include current Riyadh terminals

The airport plans were presented today by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs (CEDA) as well as Chairman of the Public Investment Fund (PIF). It will sit on an area of 57 square kilometers (22.01 square miles). In geographical size, this puts the new airport in fourth place globally, between Orlando (MCO) and Washington Dulles (IAD) but far behind its compatriot King Fahd International Airport (DMM) in Dammam.

The new airport will encompass the current terminals of Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport (RUH), which opened in 1983. It will have six parallel runways (compared to the two at RUH). Furthermore, King Salman International will include 12 square kilometers of airport support facilities, residential and recreational facilities, retail outlets, and other logistics real estate.

Saudi Arabia means for the airport to be able to process 120 million passengers by 2030 and 185 million by 2050. The current airport served 27.9 million annually pre-COVID. Furthermore, it will create 103,000 direct and indirect jobs, and have the capacity to process 3.5 million tons of cargo by the middle of the century.

No budget has yet been disclosed for the project. Meanwhile, the vision for the plan states,

"It will become an aerotropolis centered around a seamless customer journey, world-class efficient operations, and innovation. Riyadh’s identity and the Saudi culture will be taken into consideration in the airport’s design to ensure a unique travel experience for visitors and transit travelers."

Photo: Vincenzo Pace I Simple Flying

100 million visitors by 2030

The new airport is part of Saudi Arabia's plan to boost tourism, trade, and transit. According to Vision 2030, by the end of the decade, Saudi Arabia hopes to welcome 100 million foreign tourists every year as it looks to diversify its economy away from oil. Last year, it welcomed 63 million visitors. There are also plans for a new national airline, RIA, which is expected to launch before the end of the year.

The new airport is expected to contribute 27 billion Saudi riyals ($7.2 billion) annually to non-oil GDP. Other projects include renewable energy, water security, healthcare, and culture. Plans have also recently been announced for the largest mangrove forest on the shores of the Arabian Gulf to help sequester carbon from the atmosphere.