As part of a strategy by Jeddah Airports Company to make King Abdulaziz International Airport the biggest airport in the World with a capacity of 114 million passengers annually, KAIA would undergo an SR115 billion expansion.
The design and development of Terminal 1 and the construction of a new passenger terminal to be dubbed Terminal 2 are the two biggest parts of the concept. The enlargement project is scheduled to be finished in 2031.
Terminal Plans
Intending to expand annual passenger capacity by 15 million, Terminal 1 project entails essential infrastructure and enabling works, the installation of new gates, air bridges, and parking aprons, the extension of the automatic people mover, new baggage conveyor systems, and lounges.
The major project is expected to start this year and end by 2026. With the completion of Terminal 2, the airport’s capacity will nearly triple from its current limitation of 40 million people annually to 114 million.
The project will require creating a fully new terminal building with numerous gates, new taxiways, aprons, roadways, utilities, baggage handling, and other software systems. It is scheduled to begin in 2026 and finish by 2031. The cost of construction is probably over $10 billion.
Jedco plans to construct a fourth runway in 2025 and finish by 2029 to accommodate the additional traffic. Due to space restrictions, significant infrastructure relocation work must make room for the new runway.
The strategy includes other components besides developments that prioritise passenger traffic.
The site spans more than 3 square kilometres. It includes new customs and service facilities and many private sector-leasable warehouses. The final phase of the facilities’ construction, which will take place in stages, is scheduled to be finished in 2029.
The construction of a new Hajj and Umrah terminal by Jedco is ongoing. The new arrivals and departures hall for low-cost airlines will be able to accommodate 15 million passengers annually. A significant fraction of them are pilgrims. The project is expected to be finished by 2025.
Construction of a new baggage handling facility to increase the airport’s capacity is another project beginning this year. The structure will be merged with the current conveyor belt systems and placed near Terminal 1.
Customer Demand
The project investment program was created in response to Jedco’s prediction that yearly demand will increase to 114 million passengers by 2030. The organisation predicts that Saudi Arabian Airlines will contribute 51 million, international airlines will contribute 21 million, while budget airlines Flynas and Flyadeal will contribute 13 million and 12 million.
The forecast and plans were developed with major forces influencing future traveller demand in the Mecca and Jeddah regions. Including the General Civil Aviation Authority (Gaca) and its subsidiary Matarat Holding, megaproject real estate developers Roshn and Uptown Jeddah, air cargo handler Saudi Logistics Services. Atkins, Mace, and DGJ, three engineering firms, contributed to the process. The three businesses serve as investment capital projects consultants.
There are three active terminals at KAIA. The state carrier and domestic flights are the main focus of the World’s largest passenger Terminal 1, which opened in 2018. The North Terminal handles international airline traffic, while the Hajj Terminal handles pilgrim travel.
In the past, KAIA construction has been a major factor in Saudi Arabia’s airport construction activity. The airport saw the highest level of construction activity on record in 2010, with over $7 billion in contracts awarded for work there, according to regional projects tracker MEED Projects.
Other significant airport construction projects exist in Saudi Arabia. The master plan for King Salman International Airport in Riyadh was unveiled by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud in November. It will surpass all other airports in the World in terms of passenger capacity if it finishes on schedule in 2030.
Approximately 120 million passengers will pass through the airport between 2030-2050. As of 2050, the facility will process 3.5 million tonnes of cargo annually.
Airport Neom
Neom is planning to build another major airport. US firm Aecom was awarded a contract for project management consultancy services on 22 March.
It is about 170 kilometres from the Tabuk end of the Line development. A commercial flight started to operate at Neom Bay Airport in 2019, which is separate from Neom International Airport.
There is an understanding that the first phase of the airport will be able to handle 25 million passengers per year, although that has not been confirmed. A second phase might increase the annual capacity to 50 million passengers. With a capacity for 100 million people a year, the airport aspires to be the World’s biggest.
Local Airport
Smaller domestic airports are being built. In March, Matarat and France’s Egis Group agreed to a three-year agreement for Matarat to offer project management and technical support services for 26 regional airports.
In addition to updating airport project management principles and practices, the contract’s objectives include creating phased project management portals and offering technical assistance for planning and developing.
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