
Home » Saudi Arabia’s Aviation Sector: A New Era of Strategic Cooperation with Europe
Amidst major developments such as the tenders for King Salman International Airport in Riyadh and Abha Airport, the IPO of Flynas, the rapid expansion of international air routes, and the launch of Riyadh Air, the aviation sector holds a central and strategic place in Saudi Arabia’s national development agenda. As a key enabler of Vision 2030, it plays a vital role in realising two of the Kingdom’s most ambitious goals: transforming the country into a global logistics powerhouse and establishing it as a world-class tourism destination.
The ambition is clear: attract 150 million visitors by 2030, including 75 million international tourists, and channel over €92 billion in investments into the aviation sector by the same year. In doing so, aviation directly contributes to the broader objective of economic diversification beyond oil, by generating employment, fostering new industries, and strengthening international connectivity.
This transformation goes far beyond an infrastructure upgrade. It marks a profound shift in national priorities, placing aviation at the crossroads of transport, logistics, tourism, and global competitiveness. The scale and momentum of this change open up significant opportunities for European companies across the entire value chain.
Saudi Arabia has firmly positioned aviation as a cornerstone of its long-term national transformation. In 2023, aviation contributed around €18.5 billion to Saudi Arabia’s GDP. This figure is expected to rise to nearly €66 billion by 2030, according to targets set out in the National Transport and Logistics Strategy. Ambitions are equally high for capacity: the Kingdom aims to triple its air cargo volume and increase annual air passenger traffic to 330 million by the end of the decade.
To meet these goals, Saudi Arabia has launched extensive institutional reforms and financial initiatives. The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has been granted greater regulatory autonomy and tasked with spearheading the sector’s modernisation. At the same time, the Saudi Air Connectivity Program was created to develop new international and domestic routes, particularly targeting underserved markets and emerging tourist destinations.
Today, the country operates 28 airports: 14 international and 14 domestic. The largest, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, directly connects with the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, and set a new record by serving over 49 million passengers in 2024, a 14% increase compared to 2023. Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport follows with 37.6 million passengers, while King Fahad International Airport in Dammam ranks third. Ambitions continue to rise: the new King Salman International Airport in Riyadh, currently in development, targets a capacity of 120 million passengers by 2030, and 185 million by 2050, with a planned freight capacity of 3.5 million tonnes annually.
According to the Air Transport Statistics Publication 2024, recently released by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), over 128 million passengers travelled through Saudi airports in 2024, a 15% increase from 2023 and up from 103 million in 2019. International passengers accounted for more than 69 million (+14% vs. 2023), while domestic travellers surpassed 59 million (+16%).
These figures speak for themselves. Saudi Arabia clearly intends to establish itself as a critical hub at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and Asia. Key to this transformation is enhanced accessibility. Since 2019, the Kingdom has introduced an e-visa system for many countries, streamlining access for international tourists. Meanwhile, both Saudi and foreign airlines are expanding their direct connections to and from the Kingdom.
The national aircraft fleet reached 361 in 2024, marking an 11% increase from 2023. Commercial aviation accounts for the largest share, with 258 aircraft (+12%), including 97 wide-body aircraft with capacities exceeding 250 passengers.
These strategic shifts demonstrate that aviation in Saudi Arabia is more than a means of transport; it is a driving force for economic diversification, regional development, and global engagement. This vision is further underlined by the Kingdom’s growing international footprint, including its role as host of the UNCTAD Global Supply Chain Forum in 2026 and as Chair of the Executive Council of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization.
A core pillar of Saudi Arabia’s aviation strategy lies in the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects. For instance, the Kingdom has launched the construction of King Salman International Airport in Riyadh, set to become one of the world’s largest airports, with a projected capacity of 120 million passengers annually by 2030. In parallel, the expansion of King Khalid International Airport includes upgrades to Terminals 1 and 2, increasing total capacity to 14 million passengers per year. These developments are complemented by the ongoing expansion of existing hubs such as King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, as well as regional airports like Abha, which is expected to see its capacity multiplied tenfold by 2028.
The creation of Riyadh Air, a new national carrier established by the Public Investment Fund in 2023 and set to begin operations in 2025, represents a key step in the liberalisation and modernisation of the Kingdom’s aviation market. Riyadh Air is expected to serve over 100 destinations by 2030, positioning the capital as a competitive regional and international transit hub. The airline has made significant progress ahead of its launch, including major aircraft acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and investments in advanced technologies. It has already ordered 60 Airbus A321neo jets, with further plans to acquire wide-body aircraft this year.
Meanwhile, Saudia, the Kingdom’s flag carrier, placed a historic €17 billion order in May 2024 for 105 Airbus A320neo aircraft, with deliveries starting in 2026. Its low-cost subsidiary, flyadeal, aims to double its fleet to 100 aircraft by 2030, expanding access to affordable air travel across domestic and regional routes.
These developments illustrate the Kingdom’s shift towards a more open, competitive, and commercially dynamic aviation environment; one that invites foreign investment and international cooperation. The scale and complexity of Saudi Arabia’s aviation ambitions offer significant entry points for European stakeholders across the entire aviation value chain, from aircraft equipment and airport construction to engineering, digital infrastructure, urban mobility planning around airports, air traffic management, and airport maintenance. European companies, with their decades of expertise, are well positioned to contribute to airport master planning, ground handling services, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), and aircraft maintenance engineering, among other areas.
In 2025 alone, the Saudi government has allocated SAR 42 billion (approx. €10.2 billion) to infrastructure and transport development. This will include the opening of new airport lounges at international airports, the licensing of new national carriers, and the expansion of public bus networks to improve intercity and regional connectivity.
Sustainability is also a major focus, with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) targeting net-zero emissions by 2060. This ambition will be supported by initiatives such as the deployment of sustainable aviation fuels and AI-driven efficiency solutions. The Red Sea International Airport will be the first in the Kingdom to use SAF, through an agreement between Red Sea Global, daa International, and Arabian Petroleum Supply Co. The airport will be supplied with a 35% SAF blend, cutting direct aircraft emissions by up to 35%. These developments present a timely opportunity for collaboration with Europe, a region at the forefront of green innovation and aviation sustainability.
Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector is undergoing a rapid and far-reaching transformation, driven by Vision 2030 and underpinned by large-scale investments, regulatory reforms, and global ambitions. This shift positions the Kingdom not only as a major transport and tourism hub, but also as a key actor in international economic engagement.
For European businesses, this momentum presents valuable opportunities for long-term partnerships, innovation, and market growth. In this context, the European Chamber of Commerce in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (ECCKSA) plays a vital role by providing a dedicated platform, through its Transport & Logistics Committee, to support European companies in engaging with this dynamic sector and contributing to its development.
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