One of world’s largest airport projects moves forward

Plans for the King Salman International Airport in Saudi Arabia are set to move ahead after U.K.-based company Mace was selected to oversee planning and construction.

The airport will span 57 square kilometers (22 square miles) and is expected to serve over 100 million passengers a year. The six-runway facility will be one of the world’s largest airports upon completion, according to developers.

The new aviation hub is expected to open by 2030, in time for the Riyadh Expo that year and the 2034 FIFA World Cup, which Saudi Arabia is likely to host. Its planned features include recreational facilities, improved cargo and logistics capability, and an “extensive” retail and leisure offering.

“King Salman International Airport is a game-changing infrastructure program. The scale of ambition for the program’s physical build, as well as its commitment to sustainability, innovation and economic development, is unmatched,” Mace CEO Davendra Dabasia said in a statement.

Newsweek reached out to Mace via email for further comment.

“We are committed to delivering this airport as a global benchmark, propelling Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision for Riyadh’s transformation into a global hub and position Saudi Arabia as an economic powerhouse,” said King Salman International Airport Development Company’s acting CEO Marco Mejia.

Where Are the World’s Largest Airports?

1. King Fahd International Airport, Saudi Arabia: 301 square miles
2. Denver International Airport, U.S.: 52 square miles
3. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, U.S.: 27 square miles
4. Orlando International Airport, U.S.: 21 square miles
5. Washington Dulles International Airport, U.S.: 20 square miles
6. Beijing Daxing International Airport, China: 18 square miles
7. George Bush International Airport, U.S.: 17 square miles
8. Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China: 15 square miles
9. Cairo International Airport, Egypt: 14 square miles
10. Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thailand: 13 square miles.

Newsweek has previously mapped the busiest airports in the U.S.

According to the FAA, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International is the busiest airport in America, with well over 50 million passenger boardings in 2023.

In second was Dallas-Fort Worth International, with around 39 million passenger boardings.

Close behind Dallas-Fort Worth was Denver International with around 38 million. The largest airport in the U.S. by total land area, it’s famous for its distinctive white tent-like roof structure, symbolizing the nearby Rocky Mountains.

Los Angeles International, or LAX, was fourth. The airport recorded more than 36.6 million passenger boardings in 2023.

Located approximately 17 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, Chicago O’Hare International Airport ranked as the fifth-busiest airport in the U.S. with 35.8 million boardings.

In sixth was New York’s John F. Kennedy International, with 30.4 million, followed by Orlando International with approximately 28 million.

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