What will be the largest airport in the world? Here is which country it will be based in and how many people it will be able to welcome.
Saudi Arabia will build the largest airport in the world. This was announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, declaring that “it will be a huge boost for the Kingdom’s ambition to become a global hub for trade and tourism”.
According to the project, the King Salman International Airport, located in Riyadh, will have six parallel runways and will be configured as a megastructure known as an "aerotropolis". This term describes airports that include cities. In this category, it is not the largest, because it is surpassed by the American Denver and Dallas/Fort Worth.
Taken alone, however, the airport will be the largest ever built. The project involves the expansion of the existing one and will be built by incorporating cutting-edge ecological initiatives, such as a power supply completely based on renewable energy.
How much will this imposing structure of the largest airport in the world cost?
The announcement of the largest airport in the world
Saudi Arabia has announced the construction of the largest airport in the world. This is King Salman International Airport in Riyadh. The project includes six parallel runways and a total structure spread over 57 square kilometers.
It has been projected to contribute SR27 billion ($7.18 billion) per year to Saudi Arabia’s non-oil gross domestic product. In fact, the airport will contribute to the number of annual passenger arrivals in Saudi Arabia: from the current 29 million to approximately 120 million travelers by 2030 and to 185 million by 2050. As a result, air traffic in the Kingdom will increase from 211,000 to over 1 million flights per year.
Will the project be sustainable?
The airport project has "sustainability" at its center. On paper, this property is expected to achieve LEED Platinum certification, incorporating cutting-edge green initiatives into its design. It will be powered entirely by renewable energy. In the past, Saudi Arabia has been accused of greenwashing, because "sustainable" practices hid episodes of exploitation of resources, as well as people.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, Riyadh Airport will become an aerotropolis “focused on a seamless customer journey”. This is achieved through efficient services, the most efficient (we read) in the world. “Rias’s identity and Saudi culture will be taken into consideration in the design of the airport to ensure a unique travel experience for visitors and transit travelers,” reads the prince’s statements on the project.
It is no coincidence that the airport project is in line with Saudi Arabia’s vision of transforming Riyadh into one of the top ten urban economies in the world and thus supporting population growth of up to 15-20 million people by 2030. The news agency added that King Salman Airport will be able to create 103,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Is this really the largest airport in the world?
The airport itself will be the largest in the world, but depending on the structure you take into consideration. When it comes to the size of airports, square kilometers are not taken as a measurement. The fundamental parameter is the number of passengers processed.
In terms of the number of expected passengers, King Salman International Airport seems to be breaking all records. Once completed in 2030, it is expected to be able to handle 120 million passengers per year, and again by 2050, the number could reach 185 million.
Today the largest airport in the world in terms of number of passengers and capacity is different. It is the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. In 2016 it recorded 104 million passengers, while in 2022 there were around 94 million.
How much will it cost?
The question remains unanswered at the moment. Details have been provided on the expected investments. However, we know that the Kingdom’s aviation department is receiving huge funds to create the base for airlines, cargo, passengers, and repair companies.
However, as already mentioned, the number of jobs that the project will be able to create directly and indirectly has been calculated, i.e. 103 thousand. Finally, the possible economic recovery numbers were announced. The world’s largest airport is expected to contribute SR27 billion ($7.18 billion) per year to Saudi Arabia’s non-oil gross domestic product.
Original article published on Money.it Italy 2024-03-19 22:49:01. Original title: Stanno costruendo l’aeroporto più grande al mondo, ecco quanto costerà
