Riyadh airport breaks passenger traffic record, with 130,000 passengers in a single day

Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh broke its highest-ever passenger traffic record at the end of July and beginning of August 2024.

The KKIA, managed and operated by Riyadh Airports Company (RAC), announced in a press release on Thursday that the airport reported handling 3.5 million passengers in July 2024, surpassing the previous record of 3.1 million passengers set in June—an increase of 400,000 passengers.

According to the release, the airport set a new single-day record on Thursday, August 1, 2024, with 130,000 passengers, surpassing the previous highs of 125,000 on July 25 and 124,000 on June 13. In July, the airport achieved a seat occupancy rate of 91 percent, demonstrating its high operational efficiency.

Riyadh Airports Company CEO Ayman AboAbah said: “The airport’s consistent achievement of these record operational figures highlights the dedication of the Riyadh Airports team and our partners to enhance operational efficiency and provide the best experience for travelers.”

According to RAC, despite global technical challenges facing the aviation sector, the airport maintained an 88 percent on-time departure rate in June and 84 percent in July 2024, demonstrating its commitment to service excellence and robust business continuity plans.