Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — The Second Airports Cluster performance in 2025 underscored the operational momentum building across Saudi Arabia’s regional aviation network. The cluster manages 22 airports nationwide. It reported double-digit passenger growth, expanded route connectivity, and a sharp increase in air cargo throughput. The results reflect tighter operational discipline. Moreover, they show a gradual repositioning of secondary airports as logistics and mobility nodes rather than purely domestic terminals.
Passenger traffic exceeded 19.9 million in 2025, marking an 11% increase year on year. Flight activity also expanded, with more than 164,000 movements recorded, up 7% compared with 2024. Operational reliability improved in parallel. Departure punctuality reached 87.9%, while arrival punctuality stood at 87.4%, placing several regional airports closer to international service benchmarks.
Network expansion strengthens regional connectivity
Route development remained a central driver of Second Airports Cluster performance. By the end of 2025, the cluster’s airports were connected to 25 international and domestic destinations across 124 air routes. This expansion improved point-to-point connectivity between secondary regions and major hubs. In addition, it supported tourism and business travel flows aligned with national diversification targets.
Moreover, the widening route map reduced reliance on a limited number of primary gateways. As a result, traffic distribution across the Kingdom became more balanced. This balance eases congestion pressure on major airports and improves accessibility for outlying regions. The shift also strengthened the commercial viability of smaller airports. These airports have historically operated below optimal utilization levels.
Cargo growth highlights logistics potential
Air cargo and logistics emerged as one of the fastest-growing components of the cluster’s operations. Cargo volumes reached 1,634 tonnes in 2025, exceeding internal targets by 7% and representing a 44% increase compared with the previous year. While the absolute volumes remain modest by global standards, the growth rate signals rising demand for regional air freight capacity.
Notably, 2025 marked the first reception of dedicated cargo aircraft at several cluster airports. Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Qassim handled 10 cargo flights totaling 109 tonnes. Meanwhile, King Saud bin Abdulaziz Airport in Al Baha received 27 cargo flights with a combined volume of 357 tonnes. These early cargo operations indicate a gradual integration of regional airports into national supply chains, particularly for time-sensitive goods.
Partnerships support operational depth
Strategic partnerships also played a role in reinforcing Second Airports Cluster performance. During 2025, the cluster signed multiple agreements and memoranda of understanding with domestic and international stakeholders. These included public-sector entities such as the General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, and the Saudi Tourism Authority.
In addition, cooperation with global aerospace manufacturers Boeing and Airbus, alongside SAPTCO, the Saudi Aviation Club, and Front End Company, expanded technical, operational, and service-delivery capabilities. While the specific commercial impact of these agreements has not been disclosed, they point to a strategy focused on ecosystem integration rather than isolated airport management.
Certifications and service quality benchmarks
Service quality indicators improved alongside traffic growth. Eighteen airports within the cluster achieved Level 2 Customer Experience Accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI), reflecting progress in passenger-focused processes and facility management. These certifications are increasingly important. This importance grows as regional airports compete for airline capacity and route allocations.
Najran International Airport received additional recognition from ACI, being named the best airport in the Middle East in the category serving fewer than two million passengers. Furthermore, five cluster airports collectively secured five awards under the Comprehensive Airport Quality Evaluation Program for 2024 as part of the Saudi Airports Awards. These results suggest a narrowing performance gap between primary and secondary airports.
Safety readiness remains a priority
Operational resilience remained a parallel focus. Across 2025, the Second Airports Cluster conducted 278 emergency drills covering firefighting, rescue operations, and multi-agency coordination. These exercises aimed to reduce response times, improve handling efficiency, and strengthen integration with supporting entities. While such drills are routine in aviation, their scale across multiple regional airports indicates a standardized safety framework rather than fragmented local practices.
Taken together, the Second Airports Cluster performance in 2025 reflects a maturing operational model. Passenger growth, route diversification, cargo activation, and service accreditation suggest that regional airports are moving beyond capacity preservation toward measured expansion. However, sustaining this trajectory will depend on continued airline engagement, scalable cargo demand, and disciplined capital deployment across the network.
THE SAUDI STANDARD’S VIEW: Second Airports Cluster Performance Signals Structural Gains in Saudi Aviation
The 2025 performance of the Second Airports Cluster highlights a clear shift in how Saudi Arabia’s regional aviation assets are being positioned within the national transport and logistics system. The cluster manages 22 airports. Its gains in passenger traffic, cargo handling, punctuality, and service quality reflect a more disciplined, network-based operating model aligned with Vision 2030’s aviation and logistics ambitions.
• Regional airports transition from support assets to growth nodes
Double-digit passenger growth and expanding flight movements demonstrate that secondary airports are no longer peripheral infrastructure. Instead, they are increasingly integrated into national mobility planning, supporting tourism, business travel, and regional accessibility.
• Operational reliability reflects institutional maturity
Punctuality rates nearing international benchmarks indicate that performance improvement is being driven not just by traffic recovery, but by tighter operational controls and standardized processes across the airport network.
• Route diversification strengthens national connectivity
The expansion to 124 domestic and international routes reduces overconcentration at primary hubs and improves geographic balance. This redistribution enhances resilience across the aviation system while improving economic access for smaller regions.
• Cargo activation signals logistics optionality
The sharp rise in air cargo volumes, alongside first-time dedicated freighter operations at airports such as Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International Airport and King Saud bin Abdulaziz Airport, underscores the latent logistics potential of regional airports. While still early-stage, this trend aligns with Saudi Arabia’s ambition to build distributed supply-chain capacity.
• Ecosystem partnerships deepen operational capability
Engagements with public-sector bodies and global industry players such as Boeing and Airbus point to a strategy focused on integration rather than siloed airport management. This approach strengthens technical depth, service standards, and long-term scalability.
• Service accreditation narrows the primary–secondary gap
Recognition from Airports Council International and national quality programs confirms that service quality at regional airports is converging with that of larger hubs—an essential factor in attracting airlines and sustaining routes.
Looking ahead, the Second Airports Cluster’s 2025 performance demonstrates how measured expansion, safety discipline, and service quality can reposition regional airports as strategic assets. As Vision 2030 advances, such operational gains reinforce Saudi Arabia’s ability to build a balanced, resilient aviation network that supports national growth, logistics ambition, and regional development in parallel.
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