Saudi Arabia is preparing to build one of the largest airports globally

As Saudi Arabia grows into a major tourist hub, it's planning massive projects, including one of the biggest airports in the world.

The King Salman International Airport, set to rise in Riyadh, will feature at least six parallel runways, handling 185 million passengers annually by 2050. Covering 22 square miles, it will be built atop the existing King Khalid International Airport and designed by the renowned Foster + Partners, who call it an 'aerotropolis.'

In fact, Saudi Arabia is no stranger to the concept of an aerotropolis – it already hosts the world's largest airport, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, located 250 miles northeast of Riyadh.

Luke Fox, head of studio at Foster + Partners, shared that the airport would 'reimagine the traditional terminal as a continuous concourse loop, with multiple entry points.'

The complex will span over 4.5 square miles, featuring retail spaces, residential and recreational areas, as well as logistics facilities.

By 2030, the airport aims to accommodate 120 million passengers annually, with a 50% increase planned over the next two decades. Additionally, it will handle million tons of cargo each year by 2050. Foster + Partners' senior partner, Seif A. Bahaa Eldin, stated that the goal is to establish Riyadh as a 'global center of creativity and innovation.'

The airport aims to be as sustainable as possible for the aviation sector, incorporating renewable energy and targeting LEED Platinum certification for environmental design.

The design features an open, outside-in concept with expansive glass walls that will bring the outdoors inside the terminal.

Richard Quest of Dinogo, who visited Saudi Arabia this year, wrote in September that 'Saudi is investing enormous sums to create new cities and tourist destinations' as part of its push to boost tourism.

'I've witnessed transformations in other countries, but nothing quite like the one happening in Saudi Arabia,' he remarked. 'It's not like the collapse of Soviet Europe or the recent turmoil in Sri Lanka. Saudi’s transformation is intentional, profound, and monumental,' he added.