Riyadh Air Travel: 86% of Flights Canceled in Two Weeks
Houthi strikes on Saudi infrastructure have forced the suspension of nearly nine in ten flights at King Khalid International Airport since early October.
By Marco Whitaker ·
Travelers planning trips to the Saudi capital face a near-total halt in air service. Aviation data released on Monday indicates that 4,071 of the 4,736 scheduled flights at King Khalid International Airport were canceled between October 8 and October 25. That represents an 86% reduction in scheduled traffic at the airport, which is the second-busiest in the kingdom after Jeddah.
The disruption stems from a sustained campaign by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis. They have used ballistic missiles and drones to target airports, ports, and oil facilities across Saudi Arabia. The intensity of the attacks escalated in recent weeks, with Riyadh's main airport suffering repeated hits. A strike on October 10 killed 13 people, marking the deadliest incident in the kingdom in over a decade.
Saudi authorities moved to restore partial operations on Sunday. They reopened Terminal 1 for domestic flights and allowed national carriers to resume international services from Terminal 2. This followed a full halt in operations that began on October 10. The move aimed to normalize travel patterns after a week of grounded aircraft.
That progress was interrupted quickly. On Monday, Houthi forces announced they had attacked the airport again, designating it a military target. In response to the ongoing instability, several international airlines have suspended services to Riyadh through November. Delta Air Lines has delayed the launch of its new Riyadh route until next year.
The impact on the region extends well beyond the capital. Cirium data shows that more than 7,800 flights were canceled across Saudi airports during the same period, accounting for 45% of all scheduled departures nationwide. Cancellations peaked on October 12, when more than 60% of flights across the country were scrapped.
Other major hubs have also seen severe disruptions. Dammam recorded a 42% cancellation rate, while Abha, where the Houthis have claimed strikes, saw 46.7% of flights canceled. Smaller regional airports experienced even sharper drops, with Najran, located near the Yemeni border, canceling every scheduled flight.
The air traffic chaos has rippled into the broader economy. Several major events in Riyadh have been canceled or postponed, including the country's primary investment conference. Organizers cited the difficulty of moving people to and within the kingdom as the flights remained suspended.
