Riyadh's 40-million-passenger mega-terminal will transform Saudi travel

Dubai:  King Salman International Airport will start construction next year on a terminal handling 40 million passengers annually, set to deliver families, tourists and business flyers quicker access to Saudi attractions from 2029. Acting CEO Marco Mejia told Al Eqtisadiah the new terminal forms part of Riyadh’s ambitious strategy to transform the King Salman Airport into one of the world’s largest aviation hubs. The megaproject will eventually replace King Khalid International Airport

Current travellers face familiar bottlenecks at King Khalid, where peak seasons for hajj, Formula E and Diriyah events stretch waits. The new setup will target 120 million passengers by 2030 through six runways, with Riyadh Air basing there for direct flights from Europe, Asia and the Americas. Families will find family zones and cultural touches that speed up transits while showcasing Saudi heritage.

Tourists planning Mecca trips or Riyadh Season outings will skip Dubai-style connections once Riyadh Air launches routes. Mejia confirmed the next phase of development will also include new aircraft hangars and key airside infrastructure, with construction scheduled to start in 2026. The airport aims to begin operations in 2029.

Pilgrims and leisure groups will move through AI-powered security from partnerships signed at the Partners Forum with SDAIA, TASAMA, Elm and Cluster2. The 57 square kilometre aerotropolis will integrate hotels, retail and shuttles on-site, letting visitors hit the ground running for Expo 2030 or World Cup 2034 crowds.

The LEED Platinum facility will run on renewables, offering plane-spotting glass walls, greenery and seamless loops connecting terminals. Business flyers attending Future Investment Initiative will benefit from cargo ramps processing 3.5 million tons yearly by 2050, while solo explorers enjoy efficient baggage handling.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the masterplan in 2022 to grow Riyadh's population to 15-20 million by 2030, creating 103,000 jobs and adding SAR 27 billion to non-oil GDP annually.