| Saudi Arabia has large crowds visiting the
country and air travel is the most preferred mode of transportation of these tourists.
To take care of the growing influx of tourists, the local government has built
several airports in Saudi Arabia.
Airports in Saudi Arabia cater not only
to foreign tourists but also take care of the needs of local and regional tourists.
Saudi Arabia is home to three international, seven regional and sixteen domestic
airports. Many airports in Saudi Arabia have separate terminals for Saudi
Arabian Airlines, the national carrier. King Fahd International
Airport started functioning in 1999. It is the largest airport in the world
and serves the eastern region of the country. The airport is accessible only by
two roads, one of which is the Abu Hadriyah Highway, the airport's eastern border.
King Fahd International Airport has two parallel runways with length of 4,000
meters. The runways are separated by distance of 2,146 meters, which helps to
carry out simultaneous takeoff and landing operations. King Abdulaziz International Airport is
another busy airport of Saudi Arabia. It started functioning in 1981 and is the
nearest to Mecca. So, it witnesses
large crowds during the Hajj pilgrimage
in Mecca. King Abdulaziz International Airport has three runways and the south
terminal of the airport is used only by Saudi Arabian Airlines. King Khalid
International Airport is one of the largest airports in the world. The airport
is spread over an area 225 square kilometers. It is located in capital city Riyadh
and features two runways of 4,200 meters length each. Besides
these international airports, there are numerous domestic airports in Saudi Arabia
which cater to domestic travelers of the country. Some of these airports are located
in towns like Najran, Yanbu and Bisha. Local travelers prefer using these airports
rather than traveling by buses or trains. |