Saudi Arabia is accelerating development of King Salman International Airport, with construction on a new terminal set to begin in 2026. The terminal, planned to handle 40 million passengers a year, marks the first major phase of Riyadh’s strategy to build one of the world’s largest aviation hubs.

The airport, which will replace King Khalid International Airport, sits at the centre of the Kingdom’s ambition to position Riyadh as a global crossroads for business, tourism and logistics under Vision 2030. KSIA’s acting CEO Marco Mejia confirmed that the next phase will also include new aircraft hangars and key airside infrastructure, with operations targeted to begin in 2029.

The announcement was made during KSIA’s inaugural Partners Forum, where four memorandums of understanding were signed with national entities including the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, TASAMA, Elm and Cluster2. These partnerships aim to support the airport’s upcoming development stages and drive deeper integration of digital capabilities and advanced infrastructure.

KSIA’s masterplan sets out a six runway mega hub designed to handle 120 million passengers annually by 2030 and 185 million by 2050. The airport is expected to become the base for Riyadh Air and function as a major stimulus for economic diversification by strengthening connectivity, expanding cargo capacity and boosting inbound tourism.

The initial 40 million passenger terminal signals the scale of investment flowing into Saudi Arabia’s aviation landscape as the country accelerates infrastructure delivery to meet rising demand across regional and international markets. Forum attendees also viewed architectural models and development plans showcasing the project’s progress.

The first edition of the Partners Forum closed with a collective commitment to support the delivery of what is set to become one of the world’s most advanced airports.

Explore the full article for further detail on KSIA’s expansion plans.