Saudi Crown Prince unveils King Salman airport masterplan
Airport to have six parallel runways
Saudi Arabia Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz unveiled a new airport masterplan for Riyadh on Monday.
The new King Salman International Airport is expected to accommodate 120 million travellers by 2030 and up to 185 million passengers and 3.5 million tonnes of cargo by 2050, boosting Riyadh’s position as a global logistics hub along with making the city a “bridge between the East and the West”.
“The airport project is in line with Saudi Arabia’s vision to transform Riyadh to be among the top 10 city economies in the world and to support the growth of Riyadh’s population to 15-20 million people by 2030,” a statement said.
The new airport is expected to cover an area of approximately 57 sq.km, allowing for six parallel runways and including the existing terminals named after King Khalid. It will also include 12 sq.km. of airport support facilities, residential and recreational facilities, retail outlets, and other logistics real estate.
The announcement comes as part of the Public Investment Fund’s strategy which focuses on unlocking the capabilities of promising sectors to enhance Saudi Arabia’s efforts in diversifying the economy.