Saudi Arabia is moving ahead with a major transport transformation for Makkah after official approval was confirmed for the holy city’s first international airport, alongside fresh progress on a long-planned metro network designed to improve mobility for millions of pilgrims and residents.
According to published reports citing statements by the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites (RCMC), the airport project has now received strategic approval, marking a significant milestone in Saudi Arabia’s wider infrastructure expansion under Saudi Vision 2030.
The new airport is expected to reshape how international pilgrims reach Islam’s holiest city by allowing direct arrivals into Makkah rather than routing most visitors through Jeddah, where pilgrims currently land at King Abdulaziz International Airport before travelling roughly 100 kilometres by road.
For decades, direct air access to Makkah had remained difficult because of the city’s mountainous geography, which aviation specialists considered challenging for airport operations because of turbulence risks, visibility limitations and difficult landing conditions.
That position now appears to be changing as Saudi planners push ahead with advanced engineering solutions and new transport technologies aimed at supporting the kingdom’s rapidly growing religious tourism ambitions.
Published reports quoting Saleh Al-Rasheed, CEO of Saleh Al-Rasheed, CEO of RCMS, said the strategic and investment direction for the airport had been approved, with the project expected to be developed through private-sector partnerships to meet international standards.
He said the future airport would serve both residents and visitors while maintaining economic balance with nearby regional airports.
Although officials have not yet announced a final construction timeline or exact site, feasibility studies for the project are understood to have been completed, placing the initiative closer to implementation.
The airport is expected to ease congestion on Jeddah’s main aviation gateway, particularly during peak pilgrimage periods when millions of visitors arrive for Hajj and year-round Umrah travel.
Saudi Arabia has set ambitious targets to increase pilgrim capacity as part of Vision 2030, with transport infrastructure considered central to handling future visitor volumes efficiently.
The airport announcement comes as Saudi authorities also advance plans for the long-discussed Makkah metro system, another project intended to improve internal mobility across one of the world’s most visited religious destinations.
Reports indicate that initial designs and feasibility studies for the metro have been completed and submitted to relevant authorities for further procedural approval.
The proposed metro would significantly strengthen urban transport in Makkah, where the current public transport network depends heavily on buses.
At present, the city’s bus network serves around 185 million passengers through approximately 400 vehicles operating across 12 routes covering 580 kilometres.
The metro is expected to reduce pressure on roads during pilgrimage seasons, when traffic congestion often becomes one of the city’s biggest logistical challenges.
