GACA achieves record growth in air traffic statistics during 2024

The General Authority of Civil Aviation revealed in the air traffic performance report issued today that the number of flights through the Kingdom’s airports during the year 2024 reached about 905 thousand flights, an increase of 11% compared to the year 2023, including 474 thousand domestic flights and 431 thousand international flights.

Air transport movement in the Kingdom witnessed exceptional growth during the year 2024, achieving unprecedented record numbers in the number of passengers, which amounted to more than 128 million passengers through various airports in the Kingdom, including 59 million passengers via domestic flights and 69 million passengers via international flights, as the growth rate reached 15% compared to the year 2023, and an increase of about 25% over pre-pandemic levels, which confirms the recovery of the air transport sector in the Kingdom from the effects of the Corona pandemic.

The scope of air connectivity also witnessed a 16% increase, and the Kingdom became connected to more than 170 destinations around the world, with flights departing to and from the Kingdom, while air cargo recorded an exceptional growth of 34% to reach more than 1.2 million tons during 2024, including 1.17 million tons shipped at the three largest airports, including 573 thousand tons at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, 461 thousand tons at King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah, and 140 thousand tons at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.

The four main airports in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Medina accounted for 82% of the total air traffic, reflecting their vital role in the Kingdom’s aviation network.

During the last Hajj season (May 9 – July 21), the region witnessed a significant increase in air traffic, with 1.5 million passengers arriving for Hajj to the Kingdom, representing 40% of the total number of international passengers arriving during this period of time.

According to a report by the British company “OAG”, which specializes in flight data, the (Jeddah – Riyadh) route witnessed the largest increase in capacity globally among domestic routes in 2024, while the (Cairo – Jeddah) route was the second busiest international route globally. It is worth noting that the General Authority of Civil Aviation is the regulatory body for the air transport sector in the Kingdom, and is responsible for setting executive regulations for the sector, supervising them, and following up on their implementation with relevant authorities, which contributes to improving the quality of air transport services and improving the traveler’s experience. It works according to its strategy to shape the future of the sector to create a competitive and attractive investment environment, to be a pioneer in the Middle East and the world, and contribute to achieving its goals of doubling the capacity by 2030.