King Khalid International Airport (RUH) has commenced operations at its newly developed International Terminal 2, with the completion of the expansion and upgrade of Terminals 1 and 2.
The opening ceremony was sponsored by His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Riyadh Region. On arrival at the airport, he was received by the Minister of Transport and Logistics and Chairman of the Board of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Engineer Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, the President of GACA, Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailij, and other sector representatives.
As part of the event, Prince Faisal toured the upgraded facilities, including passenger processing areas, departure and arrival halls, and operational systems. The visit focused on assessing the airport’s readiness to manage passenger flows and international operations following the completion of the development works.
The expansion project has increased the combined annual capacity of Terminals 1 and 2 to approximately 14 million passengers, compared to around 6 million prior to redevelopment. The upgrade included improvements to infrastructure, passenger circulation, and operational systems aimed at supporting the expected growth in air traffic.
Speaking at the ceremony, Abdulaziz Al-Duailij, President of GACA and Chairman of the Board of Airports Holding Company, said the project enhances the airport’s operational efficiency and passenger handling capabilities. He noted that the development supports the wider objectives of improving air connectivity and strengthening the aviation sector.
King Khalid International Airport is estimated to contribute around 2.2 percent of Riyadh’s gross domestic product in 2024, equivalent to approximately 22.5 billion SAR (4.4 billion GBP), and supports about 66,000 direct and indirect jobs. The expansion is expected to facilitate airline growth and support tourism and business travel.
International Terminal 1 will serve Flyadeal and Flynas international flights, while Terminal 2 will handle operations for Saudia and Riyadh Air. The departure areas across the two terminals include 114 check-in counters, 43 immigration counters and 20 electronic passport gates. Arrival areas are equipped with 75 counters, 22 electronic passport gates and eight customs inspection devices.
The opening of International Terminal 2 forms part of a broader programme of development at King Khalid International Airport, aimed at improving operational performance, enhancing passenger services and accommodating continued growth in international travel in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives.
