AlUla International Airport | |
Nativename-R: | |
Iata: | ULH |
Icao: | OEAO |
Pushpin Map: | Saudi Arabia#Asia#West Asia |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Saudi Arabia |
Pushpin Label: | ULH/OEAO |
Pushpin Label Position: | right |
Type: | Public |
City-Served: | AlUla |
Location: | AlUla municipality |
Elevation-F: | 2,047[1] |
Elevation-M: | 624 |
R1-Number: | 12/30 |
R1-Length-F: | 10,007 |
R1-Length-M: | 3,050 |
R1-Surface: | Asphalt |
Owner-Oper: | Matarat Holding Company |
Al-Ula International Airport, formerly Prince Abdul Majeed bin Abdulaziz International Airport, is an airport located southeast of Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia.[2] It was named after Prince Abdul Majeed bin Abdulaziz.[3] The airport became operational on 31 October 2011.[4]
The planned capacity of the airport was 100,000 passengers per year, including both tourists and locals.[5] After its expansion in 2021, the airport's capacity increased to 400,000 annual passengers.[6]
The airport began operations on 31 October 2011 when the first flight from Riyadh operated by Saudia under the name “Prince Abdulmajeed bin Abdulaziz Domestic Airport". it was named after Abdul Majeed bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.[7] It is the closest airport to the pre-Islamic archaeological site of Mada'in Saleh and Al-Ula Heritage Village. The airport is the first one in Saudi Arabia specifically designed to serve people coming to the region for visiting purposes.[8]
In March 2021, the General Authority of Civil Aviation in Saudi Arabia has approved the landing of international flights at the airport. According to Saudi Press Agency, the airport's annual capacity has increased from 100,000 passengers to 400,000 and its area has increased to 2.4 million square meters.[9] After this expansion, the airport was officially renamed "AlUla International Airport".[10]
In October 2023, The Royal Commission for Al-Ula announced a new expansions of the airport, in addition to its new designs. The new expansion will increase the capacity from 400,000 to 6 million passengers every year. The airport will also serve as a logistics hub in Saudi Arabia's northwest.[11]