Saudi Arabia Targeting 330 Million Airline Passengers a Year by 2030, Says GACA Chief

Saudi Arabia Targeting 330 Million Airline Passengers a Year by 2030, Says GACA Chief

Saudi Arabia plans to increase the number of international aviation routes from 99 to over 250 and more than triple total annual passenger traffic from 109 million in 2019 to 330 million by 2030, said Abdulaziz Al-Duauilj, the head of the aviation authority (GACA).

Speaking during a press conference on Monday to discuss the recently launched National Strategy for Transport and Logistics, Al-Duauilj said annual capacity at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport and Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport would each expand to 100 million passengers.

He also said the kingdom was aiming to become a global air freight logistics hub, handling 4.5 million tons of air cargo a year, up from 900,000 in 2019.

Speaking at the same event, Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh bin Nasser al-Jasser affirmed the kingdom's plans to invest over 500 billion riyals ($133.34 billion) in airports, sea ports, rail and other infrastructure by the end of the decade in a bid to make Saudi Arabia a global transportation and logistics hub.

He also said that the strategy includes many mega projects, with over 500 billion riyals earmarked for investment.