Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has announced record-breaking milestones for the country’s aviation sector, highlighting strong performance in both passenger and cargo operations as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 transport transformation.
Between January and September, Saudi airports handled 866,000 tonnes of air cargo, including 567,000 tonnes of origin-and-destination freight and 299,000 tonnes of transit shipments.
The growth was supported by Saudia Cargo’s expanding global network, which has been strengthened through partnerships with TAM Group, WFS, Cainiao, China Cargo Airlines, and FedEx.
GACA reported that 103.1 million passengers travelled through Saudi airports over the same period, while total flight movements reached 713,000, marking year-on-year increases of 9% and 5%, respectively.
The Kingdom’s air connectivity now spans more than 170 destinations worldwide, reinforcing its ambition to become a leading global logistics hub under the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS).
The figures were unveiled during the 18th Aviation Programme Steering Committee (SteerCo) meeting, chaired by GACA President Abdulaziz Al-Duailej and attended by Ahmed Al-Hassan, Assistant Minister of Transport and Logistics.
The meeting, hosted by Saudia Cargo CEO Loay Mashabi, also reviewed progress in charter, private, and logistics operations.
Saudi Arabia’s recent re-election to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council for the 2026–2028 term — with 175 votes out of 184 — was described as a “global endorsement” of the country’s aviation leadership, safety record, and commitment to sustainable air transport.
Al-Duailej said: “Saudi aviation is delivering sustained passenger and connectivity growth in support of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 agenda, providing unprecedented investment opportunities for the global aviation sector.
“Our re-election to the ICAO Council reflects Saudi Arabia’s constructive role in strengthening international partnerships and driving global connectivity.”