By developing the western entrance to the Kingdom for business, tourism, hospitality, sports, culture, worship, education, wellness, leisure, and entertainment, Jeddah Airport City at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA), the country’s busiest and largest, is conceivably raising airport-centric development to a new level.
Located next to and connected to Jeddah Airport City, King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) Terminal One’s 810,000m2 will enable KAIA to accommodate 45 million passengers annually by 2030. After 2035, KAIA’s expansion plans may well increase this capacity to 114 million passengers per annum.
The Haramain High-Speed Rail Station, which was inaugurated in 2019 and links KAIA with Jeddah and Makkah, is located in the center of Jeddah Airport City. Additionally, King Abdullah Economic City and Al Madinah Al Munarwarh are connected to KAIA via high-speed trains. The trip from KAIA to Madinah takes 75 minutes. Currently, it transports over 60 million people every year.
The company plans to begin construction in 2023, with full project completion by 2028
A Bold Plan
SARH Development Company (SARH) is responsible for the planning and construction of Jeddah Airport City, which is a component of ‘Kingdom Vision 2030’, a bold plan for economic and social transformation that opens Saudi Arabia to the outside world.
The company plans to begin construction in 2023, with full project completion by 2028. The first phase of construction will be completed in 2026 and will include the parking podium and lifestyle center, which will contain a shopping district, city terminal, office space, a university for culinary arts and hospitality, co-working space, co-retail space, restaurants, entertainment, and a 20,000 seat arena. The estimated $4.5 billion total investment in Jeddah Airport City will be paid for by SARH and its Austrian partner, AVORIS, utilizing both domestic and international financial models.
The Jeddah Airport City Concept Master Plan identifies 2,000,000m2 of built-up area framed on each side of the Haramain High-Speed Rail
Sultan Bin Ali Al Harbi, chairman of SARH, explained: “Jeddah Airport City will introduce a variety of uses, building types, and amenities to create a 24/7 destination at the juncture of KAIA and Jeddah’s evolving urban area, serving the needs of visitors and locals, while evolving Jeddah as a world-class city. The broad range of uses and amenities will generate significant non-aeronautical revenues and financial returns while improving the competitiveness and branding of KAIA and Jeddah.”
The Jeddah Airport City Concept Master Plan identifies 2,000,000m2 of built-up area framed on each side of the Haramain High-Speed Rail over four quadrants, including Zone One (Exhibition Circuit), Zone Two (Business District), Zone Three (Fun Precinct), and Zone Four (Calm Community).