King Abdulaziz International Airport (Saudi Arabia) – Location, Geography, Facts

King Abdulaziz International Airport is an international airport in Saudi Arabia serving the city of Jeddah.

King Abdulaziz International Airport, Saudi Arabia.

Country: Saudi Arabia
Coordinates: 21.6617° N, 39.1730° E

King Abdulaziz International Airport overview

King Abdulaziz International Airport is an international airport in Saudi Arabia serving the city of Jeddah. The airport is located on the Red Sea coast north of Jeddah and includes a purpose-built Hajj Terminal specifically designated for large-scale pilgrimage processing. Operated under Saudi civil aviation authority oversight, King Abdulaziz International Airport functions as a major entry point for international passenger traffic and structured air transport related to pilgrimage logistics.

King Abdulaziz International Airport coordinates

King Abdulaziz International Airport is commonly mapped at approximately 21.6617° N, 39.1730° E, or 21.6617, 39.1730 in decimal degrees.

Degrees: 21.6617° N, 39.1730° E

Decimal: 21.6617, 39.1730

Where King Abdulaziz International Airport is located

King Abdulaziz International Airport lies on the coastal plain immediately north of Jeddah within the administrative boundaries of the Makkah Region. The installations sit adjacent to the Red Sea shoreline on relatively flat, reclaimed and natural coastal sediments that influence apron and runway layout. Urban development of Jeddah frames the airport to the south while open desert and industrial zones extend inland to the east and northeast of the airport property.

Why King Abdulaziz International Airport is important

King Abdulaziz International Airport is significant for its operational role as a primary gateway for pilgrims traveling to Mecca, with infrastructure organized around that seasonal surge. The airport’s Hajj Terminal is a formal, purpose-built facility separating pilgrimage flows from regular commercial traffic, which distinguishes its operational planning from other regional airports. Its position on the Red Sea coast also gives it logistical importance for international and regional air connections managed by Saudi civil aviation institutions.

History of King Abdulaziz International Airport

King Abdulaziz International Airport developed in stages to respond to Jeddah’s growth as a commercial port and as the principal air gateway for pilgrimage traffic to Mecca. Early facilities expanded to accommodate increasing international connections, followed by an explicit construction phase to create dedicated pilgrimage processing infrastructure. Later modernization initiatives reorganized terminal functions and apron layouts to separate long-haul, regional, and pilgrimage operations, and those institutional changes were implemented under national civil aviation planning.

Natural features of King Abdulaziz International Airport

King Abdulaziz International Airport occupies a flat coastal plain characterized by sand and compacted coastal deposits, a condition reflected in long, level runways and extensive apron pavements. Architecturally, the airport is notable for the Hajj Terminal’s tensile-membrane roof system supported by mast structures, creating a tent-like profile over large open processing areas. Terminal buildings combine reinforced concrete and steel with expansive paved surfaces for aircraft parking and ground handling, arranged to optimize high-throughput operations on constrained coastal land.

Environment, protection, and monitoring of King Abdulaziz International Airport

King Abdulaziz International Airport is governed and maintained by Saudi civil aviation authorities, which manage long-term infrastructure upgrades, operational safety, and regulatory compliance. Its coastal location places airport infrastructure within a marine-influenced environmental context, requiring monitoring of shoreline dynamics and surface drainage as part of asset stewardship. Coordination between airport management and national agencies organizes logistical planning during peak pilgrimage operations and oversees environmental monitoring and maintenance programs for runways and terminals.

King Abdulaziz International Airport facts

King Abdulaziz International Airport serves the city of Jeddah and lies within the Makkah Region on the Red Sea coast.
The airport contains a dedicated Hajj Terminal developed to process pilgrims traveling to Mecca’s holy sites.
The Hajj Terminal is covered by a tensile fabric roof supported on visible masts, producing a tent-like architectural silhouette.
Saudi civil aviation authorities operate and regulate King Abdulaziz International Airport as part of the national airport network.
The airport’s runways, aprons, and terminals are sited on a flat coastal plain directly adjacent to the Red Sea, influencing layout and pavement design.

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