The number of flights witnessed a 12 percent increase to 446,000 while air freight saw a 41 percent increase in volume to 606,000 tons by the end of June.

The GACA recently released air traffic statistics revealing significant growth in the number of passengers and flights during H1 of 2024.

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Moreover, the authority granted the first operating permit for building cleaning using drones, illustrating its commitment to enabling safe and innovative advanced air mobility solutions. Moreover, it launched a knowledge-testing center for aviation personnel and the first phase of electronic gates at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector also saw several achievements in the past six months, including 16 Saudi airports obtaining the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Service Quality (ASQ) accreditation for 2024. Additionally, Saudi Arabia’s airports continued their progress in ranking among the top 50 airports worldwide, according to Skytrax.

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Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah ranked 1st in the Middle East on the Skytrax World Airport Awards. Meanwhile, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah achieved the highest ratings on the Airports Council International list for 2023.

In addition, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam won three of the Saudi Airports Awards for 2023, including the award for the best airport in the category 5-15 million passengers, the award for the best customs inspection area, and the award for the best services for people with disabilities.