As the gateway to Mecca, every year the city of Jeddah on the Red Sea coast receives millions of Muslims undertaking the hajj and umrah pilgrimages. To cope with rising numbers of pilgrims and international tourists as well, last year Jeddah completed the first phase of one of the most ambitious airport expansions anywhere in the world.
Opened by King Salman in September 2019, Terminal One at the new-look King Abdulaziz International Airport already operates a wide range of domestic and international flights and can handle up to 30 million passengers a year.
The next stages of expansion will continue to increase the annual capacity of the airport, reaching 80 million passengers by 2035.
There is much more to the modernization of the airport than just an increase in size. Every element of the new terminal building has been designed to make life easier for passengers. With 220 boarding counters, 80 self-service kiosks, 16 luggage belts and no fewer than 299 lifts, journeys here will be as smooth, efficient and enjoyable as possible.
In terms of passenger comfort and leisure, the new structure contains some 120 shops and restaurants, a five-star hotel, a mosque and even its own giant aquarium, with capacity to hold a million litres of water.
A train station inside the terminal connects pilgrims and tourists to Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing high-speed rail network, taking them directly to Mecca, Medina and King Abdullah Economic City at speeds of up to 300km/h.
Furthermore, with 46 gates, three runways and the world’s tallest air traffic control tower at 136 meters high, the modernized airport is set to transform Jeddah into a major regional hub for transport and logistics.
“The new airport will be able to work pivotally linking East and West,” Prince Mishaal bin Majed, the Governor of Jeddah, said at the opening ceremony.
“It will serve as an intensive collection point for the movement of passengers and goods and will compete to get a fair share of the region’s air transport market”
