King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest airport in the world by area, has introduced a state-of-the-art navigation system, marking the first Category III Instrument Landing System upgrade in Saudi Arabia. 

The system allows aircraft to land automatically in low-visibility and foggy conditions, improving flight continuity, operational efficiency, and safety reliability, writes Faustine Ngila for Impact Newswire.

The project is backed by a $426.5 million investment package encompassing 77 infrastructure projects. The upgrades are driven by soaring demand: by the end of 2024, the airport had recorded a 35% increase in passenger traffic compared to 2022, and the strategic master plan targets a capacity of over 19.3 million passengers annually by 2030, double its 2022 figures.

Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Eastern Province, inaugurated both the General Aviation Terminal and the ILS upgrade on Monday, highlighting the airport’s broader modernisation efforts. 

Spanning more than 23,000 sq m, the terminal is designed to streamline operations, facilitate faster passenger processing, and enhance the overall travel experience. The facility includes aircraft parking areas covering 12,415 sq m for up to four aircraft simultaneously, and support services and car parking covering 6,665 square meters to ensure smooth traffic flow and international-standard service.

The project also upgraded the western runway to 4,000 m, with an additional 4,000 m of taxiway, all equipped with more than 3,200 advanced lighting units integrated into a unified system. These enhancements aim to increase passenger capacity and accommodate a broader range of aircraft, aligning with the objectives of Saudi Arabia’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy.

Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, said the Aviation Program reflects the goals of Vision 2030, establishing the Kingdom as a global logistics platform linking three continents, an international destination for tourism and business, and a leading aviation hub in the Middle East. 

“It embodies the ambitious goals of Vision 2030,” Al-Duailej said. The authority has also worked to develop the general aviation sector and attract investment by strengthening regulatory frameworks, drawing leading global companies such as Universal Aviation to operate the terminals at King Fahd International Airport and King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.

Mohammed bin Ali Al-Hassany, CEO of Dammam Airports, described the new terminal and ILS upgrade as “a major leap for Saudi airports.” He noted that the project’s success depended on close coordination among the GACA, Saudi Airports Holding Company, Dammam Airports, the National Center for Meteorology, and the Saudi Air Navigation Services Company to ensure operational readiness, safety, and efficiency. 

Dammam Airports manages three airports in Eastern Province, including King Fahd International Airport, Al-Ahsa International Airport, and Qaisumah Airport in Hafar Al-Batin.

Gregory Evans, chairman of the board at Universal Weather and Aviation, said the General Aviation Terminal provides the Kingdom with its first dedicated private aviation hangars, offering secure, climate-controlled aircraft storage. 

Evans added that additional hangars are planned for Jeddah and Riyadh, noting the speed of implementation at Dammam. “We have three projects really going on at the same time. We have Riyadh going on, and Jeddah. Because the DACO people work very quickly, it is Dammam first. I wouldn’t say I chose Dammam; Dammam chose us.”

All these upgrades feed into Saudi Arabia’s National Aviation Strategy. For KFIA specifically, future expansion is projected to increase aircraft movement capacity to 77 per hour and grow annual passenger throughput to 32 million. Air cargo handling is targeted to rise to 600,000 tons per year — a tenfold jump — positioning the airport as a major regional logistics hub. In 2023 alone, KFIA recorded a 16.2% annual increase in passenger traffic, underlining the urgency and scale of these investments.

The upgrades at King Fahd International Airport signal a broader push to modernise Saudi Arabia’s aviation infrastructure, positioning the Kingdom to handle growing passenger volumes, expand private aviation services, and strengthen its role as a regional hub for international travel and logistics.