Saudi Airports Receive Over 3.4M Pilgrims in First Half of Ramadan
The majority of Umrah pilgrims arrived via Jeddah and Madinah airports, with international flights outpacing domestic travel.
More than 3.4 million pilgrims and passengers arrived in Saudi Arabia during the first 18 days of Ramadan, according to Matarat Holding Company, which operates 27 airports across the Kingdom. The figure reflects the surge in air traffic during the Umrah season, as millions of Muslims travel to Makkah and Madinah for the holy month.
King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah were the busiest entry points, handling the bulk of incoming Umrah pilgrims. Prince Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz Airport in Yanbu and Taif International Airport also saw a significant number of arrivals.
International flights accounted for approximately 2.4 million of the total passengers, while domestic routes served 1.08 million. In total, Saudi airports operated 20,038 flights during this period, including 12,699 international flights.
With the last 10 days of Ramadan typically seeing even higher travel volumes, passenger numbers are expected to continue rising. The General Authority of Civil Aviation and airport operators are coordinating efforts to manage capacity and streamline pilgrim services across key terminals.
