Saudi Arabia begins construction of third runway at King Salman International Airport

Saudi Arabia has begun construction works on the third runway at King Salman International Airport, marking a major milestone in the expansion of Riyadh’s future aviation hub and strengthening the airport’s readiness to support long-term growth in air traffic demand.

King Salman International Airport, a Public Investment Fund company, said the third runway is a core component of the airport’s master plan and reflects continued progress in airfield development.

The project is being delivered in collaboration with FCC Construcción SA and Al-Mabani General Contractors Company.

Saudi Arabia begins third runway at King Salman International Airport

The runway has been designed in alignment with Riyadh’s prevailing wind patterns to ensure safe and efficient aircraft operations under all operating conditions.

King Salman International Airport’s current operational capacity stands at 65 aircraft movements per hour.

With the introduction of the third runway and additional operational enhancements, capacity is expected to rise to 85 aircraft movements per hour, supporting improved efficiency and long-term growth.

The third runway will span 4,200 metres in length and will incorporate multiple access taxiways to ensure smooth aircraft flow across the airfield.

Infrastructure milestone

Marco Mejia, Acting CEO of King Salman International Airport, said: “Launching construction of the third runway marks a pivotal step in delivering the KSIA Master Plan and reflects our commitment to developing world-class infrastructure capable of supporting future growth, enhancing operational efficiency, and expanding long-haul connectivity without constraints.”

King Salman International Airport is described as a strategic and transformative national project reflecting Saudi Arabia’s ambition to position Riyadh as a global capital and a leading aviation hub.

The project was announced by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs and Chairman of the Board of Directors of King Salman International Airport, highlighting its national significance and alignment with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

Located on the existing site of King Khalid International Airport, the development will incorporate the existing King Khalid terminals alongside three new terminals, residential and leisure assets, six runways, and dedicated logistics facilities.

Spanning 57 square kilometres, the airport is designed to accommodate up to 100 million passengers annually and handle more than two million tonnes of cargo by 2030.

Global connectivity

This phase of construction is expected to further strengthen King Salman International Airport’s international flight network across multiple global destinations, reinforcing Riyadh’s position as an internationally connected aviation gateway and supporting national development objectives within the air transport sector.

Will Milner
Read More

Latest

Nestory Irankunda scores Australia’s first World Cup goal against Turkiye

Nestory Irankunda buried Australia’s opening goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 14, finishing a counter-attack in the 27th minute against Turkiye in Vancouver. At 20 years old, he became the youngest player in Socceroos history to score at a World Cup. The goal gave Australia a 1-0 lead in their Group D

Carlo Ancelotti takes responsibility for Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Morocco as crypto fan tokens enter the World Cup spotlight

Brazil opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Morocco on June 13, and Carlo Ancelotti accepted full responsibility for the tactical shortcomings that left the five-time champions splitting points in their Group C opener. Ancelotti promised improvement and reminded everyone that you don’t win a World Cup in your first

Scotland defeats Haiti 1-0 in World Cup opener, tops Group C

Scotland picked up their first World Cup victory in 28 years on June 13, beating Haiti 1-0 in their Group C opener at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. John McGinn scored the only goal of the match in the 28th minute, pouncing on a rebound after Haitian goalkeeper Johny Placide saved an initial effort from

Pyth Network Targets Bloomberg’s $50 Billion Market-Data Empire

Pyth Network is pushing deeper into the more than $50 billion market for financial data, launching 24/7 index products across metals, oil, and U.S. equities as it positions its onchain price feeds against incumbents like Bloomberg. Key Takeaways Pyth Network launched 24/7 indices for metals, oil, and U.S. equities, adopted by Coinbase and Kraken. Euronext

Newsletter

Don't miss

Nestory Irankunda scores Australia’s first World Cup goal against Turkiye

Nestory Irankunda buried Australia’s opening goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 14, finishing a counter-attack in the 27th minute against Turkiye in Vancouver. At 20 years old, he became the youngest player in Socceroos history to score at a World Cup. The goal gave Australia a 1-0 lead in their Group D

Carlo Ancelotti takes responsibility for Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Morocco as crypto fan tokens enter the World Cup spotlight

Brazil opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Morocco on June 13, and Carlo Ancelotti accepted full responsibility for the tactical shortcomings that left the five-time champions splitting points in their Group C opener. Ancelotti promised improvement and reminded everyone that you don’t win a World Cup in your first

Scotland defeats Haiti 1-0 in World Cup opener, tops Group C

Scotland picked up their first World Cup victory in 28 years on June 13, beating Haiti 1-0 in their Group C opener at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. John McGinn scored the only goal of the match in the 28th minute, pouncing on a rebound after Haitian goalkeeper Johny Placide saved an initial effort from

Pyth Network Targets Bloomberg’s $50 Billion Market-Data Empire

Pyth Network is pushing deeper into the more than $50 billion market for financial data, launching 24/7 index products across metals, oil, and U.S. equities as it positions its onchain price feeds against incumbents like Bloomberg. Key Takeaways Pyth Network launched 24/7 indices for metals, oil, and U.S. equities, adopted by Coinbase and Kraken. Euronext

Macron and Trump test their bruised bromance at G7 summit

For help please visit help.ft.com. We apologise for any inconvenience. The following information can help our support team to resolve this issue. Reason Challenge Request ID a0ba469e68afe135 Status Code 403

Your business texts could look like scam messages from July 1 if you don’t act now

From July 1, any branded SMS your business sends without a registered sender ID will be labelled “Unverified” and grouped with scam messages.  What’s happening: From 1 July 2026, any business or organisation that sends SMS using a branded name, such as “MyShop” or “AcmeServices”, instead of a phone number, must have that sender ID

Business groups are fighting Labor’s CGT changes. Here is where SMEs stand

Labor’s most contested tax reform in a generation cleared its first formal hurdle on Thursday and immediately ran into organised resistance. Treasurer Jim Chalmers introduced the government’s tax reform legislation to the House of Representatives on 28 May, bundling together four budget measures: the capital gains tax overhaul, new limits on negative gearing, a $250

Meet the most influential business owners from Southwest Nigeria

This article spotlights the most influential business owners from Southwest Nigeria, adjudged by their dominance in their respective sectors of the economy where they operate. The post Meet the most influential business owners from Southwest Nigeria appeared first on Nairametrics...