King Abdulaziz International Airport

King Abdulaziz International Airport is about 19 km (12 miles) north of central Jeddah. The drive usually takes 25 to 45 minutes depending on traffic and where you are going, with the northern districts and the Obhur coast closest and the historic Al Balad district farther south. Taxis, ride-hailing apps, buses, the Haramain train and pre-booked cars all run into the city.

Makkah is about 100 km (62 miles) southeast of the airport by road, usually a drive of 1 to 1.5 hours, longer at peak pilgrim times. The Haramain High-Speed Railway runs from the airport station, reached from Terminal 1, to Makkah station, from where you still need a car or taxi to your hotel near the Grand Mosque.

Saudia, flynas, flyadeal and most full-service airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines use Terminal 1. Many low-cost and other foreign airlines use the new Terminal 4 or the North Terminal, and pilgrim flights often use the Hajj and Umrah Terminal. Airlines are moving to Terminal 4 in phases, so check your terminal with your airline before you fly.

Terminal 4 began operating in phases on 27 September 2026, starting with Wizz Air, AJet and SalamAir, followed by airlines such as Pegasus, Tunisair, Azerbaijan Airlines and Akasa Air. It is meant to take most foreign airlines from the North Terminal and some from other terminals, and has a group check-in area for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.

Yes. The Haramain High-Speed Railway has a station at the airport, reached on foot from Terminal 1, with trains to Makkah, Madinah, King Abdullah Economic City and Jeddah Al Sulaymaniyah station. If you land at another terminal, you first need to get to Terminal 1. Book seats in advance in busy seasons.

It is a separate open-sided terminal built for pilgrim flights, able to handle tens of thousands of passengers at a time. It is busiest during the Hajj season, when most pilgrim charter flights arrive there, and some scheduled airlines also use it. It is far from Terminal 1, so check whether your flight lands there.

Yes. Saudi Arabia allows holders of valid visas, including the tourist eVisa, to perform Umrah outside the Hajj season. You also need an Umrah permit booked in the Nusuk app, which is separate from your visa, to enter the Grand Mosque for Umrah. Hajj requires its own visa and permit.

No. Entry to Makkah is restricted to Muslims, and road signs before the city boundary direct non-Muslim drivers onto bypass roads. Non-Muslim visitors can stay in Jeddah, where the airport, the Corniche and the historic Al Balad district are open to everyone, and can travel on to other parts of the Kingdom.

Most visitors need a visa. Citizens of many countries, including the US, the UK and most of Europe, can get a multiple-entry tourist eVisa online before travel, and some eligible travelers can get a visa on arrival. Check the current rules for your nationality on the official Visit Saudi visa site before you fly.

A taxi, ride-hailing car or pre-booked transfer is the most direct way to the Corniche and the waterfront hotels. The Corniche runs along the Red Sea west of the city, with the northern stretch closer to the airport than Al Balad. Buses run into the city but do not go door to door.

Yes. Licensed airport taxis wait at the signposted taxi stand outside arrivals at each terminal, and Uber and Careem pick up from marked ride-hailing zones. Use only the official stand or app zone and decline offers from people inside the terminal. Waits can be long when several large flights land at the same time.

Yes. Saudia's AlFursan Lounge is on the upper level of Terminal 1, for Saudia Business Class passengers and eligible SkyTeam Elite Plus members. Other lounges operate in the terminals for eligible airline passengers and card holders, so check with your airline or lounge program which one you can use.

Jeddah is on Arabia Standard Time, UTC+3, all year, with no daylight saving time. That puts it three hours ahead of London in winter and two hours ahead in summer, and seven or eight hours ahead of New York depending on the season. Saudi Arabia uses the Saudi riyal (SAR).