Saudi “aviation diplomacy” on the rise: Future Aviation Forum 2026 in Riyadh aims to confirm the Kingdom's ambition to become a new global hub
In the spring of 2026, Saudi Arabia once again gathers the elite of world aviation in Riyadh, where the fourth edition of the Future Aviation Forum will be held from April 20 to 22. The event is organized by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and has been announced as a place where deals are negotiated, regulatory rules are harmonized, and international influence is built—at a time when the Kingdom highlights record traffic indicators and accelerates projects related to the Vision 2030 program.
The Forum is held at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center (KAICC) in Riyadh and, according to the organizer, is set under the theme
“Unlocking Global Growth, Designing the Future Sky”. GACA states that more than 12,000 participants from over 150 countries are expected, including ministers, regulators, airline leaders, manufacturers, airports, leasing companies, and technology providers. The event is also politically prominent: the Saudi state news agency reported that it is being held under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, with messages from the state leadership that the development of transport and logistics is one of the key pillars of economic transformation.
Why Riyadh wants the whole world to talk about the sky specifically in Saudi Arabia
Saudi investments in aviation in recent years have gone beyond the scope of classic infrastructure expansion and opening new routes. According to strategic documents published by GACA, a broader goal is at stake: to reach
330 million passengers annually by 2030, connect with
250+ destinations, and increase
air cargo capacity to 4.5 million tons. The same materials mention an investment envelope of
more than 100 billion US dollars (a combination of public and private capital) and the ambition for Riyadh and Jeddah to be two main hubs for passenger and cargo traffic.
Such goals are not just a tourism story. In the context of global supply chains, changing trade flows, and growing security requirements, aviation is becoming an instrument of economic resilience and international positioning. The Future Aviation Forum is therefore increasingly described as a form of “aviation diplomacy”: it seeks to combine bilateral agreements, investment announcements, regulatory standards, and technological trends in one place – from sustainable fuels to artificial intelligence in passenger flow management.
Figures that Saudi Arabia highlights as proof of “record growth”
Ahead of the forum, Saudi institutions are emphasizing the results from 2024, when
more than 128 million passengers passed through the Kingdom's airports. According to official data published in state press releases and on the regulator's website, this represents a growth of 15% compared to 2023 and 25% more than in the pre-pandemic period. The same data states that 59 million passengers were on domestic lines and 69 million on international lines, which the Saudi side interprets as a sign of strengthening both the domestic market and international connectivity.
Such growth, together with the expansion of the number of routes and the strengthening of cargo traffic, is used as an argument that Vision 2030 is entering the phase of operational realization, not just announcements. Opening new connections abroad also plays an important role in this narrative. For years, the Saudi side has been emphasizing the need to intensify bilateral air service agreements as a prerequisite for expanding the network and the entry of new carriers, but also as a basis for attracting investment in airports, logistics, and related services.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), in a working document related to the Future Aviation Forum, states that the 2024 edition gathered more than 8,500 participants from 130 countries, including ministers and heads of civil aviation authorities, and that discussions and agreements focused on infrastructure, air cargo, maintenance and repair (MRO), training, and sustainability. In the same context, technological topics such as artificial intelligence in passenger solutions, development of low-carbon fuels, and advanced air mobility are emphasized.
Competing with regional “giants”: Dubai and Doha remain benchmarks, but Riyadh is building multiple pillars at once
In a regional context, the Saudi strategy is inevitably compared with the role that Dubai and Doha have played for decades, with companies like Emirates and Qatar Airways, and a developed model of transit hubs. However, Saudi plans are trying to build several pillars simultaneously: a large internal volume (domestic lines), growth in inbound tourism, a stronger cargo segment, and a new wave of long-haul international connections that should give Riyadh the status of the main “gateway” to the country.
The most visible project in this story is
Riyadh Air, a new carrier being developed with the support of the state investment fund. In parallel, Saudia is modernizing its fleet and expanding its offer, while the low-cost segment is gaining an increasing role in connecting regional and tourist points. The Saudi strategy, as presented by the regulator, speaks of the goal for the country to develop two globally relevant passenger and cargo carriers, alongside a broader ecosystem of companies that will fill the network and strengthen flight accessibility.
This model of competition is particularly interesting because it does not target only the interception of transit passengers, but also changing travel habits towards Saudi Arabia as a destination. This includes business travel, religious travel, and a growing tourism segment that should ensure stable demand. In practice, the success of such a strategy will depend on the speed of infrastructure projects, stability of rules, prices, and quality of service, but also on how much global partners will accept Riyadh as a practical and reliable hub on their own networks.
Infrastructure as a political message: from King Salman to the modernization of existing hubs
The central infrastructure symbol of Saudi ambition is
King Salman International Airport in Riyadh, a megaproject that should significantly expand the capital's capacity by 2030 and create a foundation for expanding the international network. Alongside it, upgrades of existing hubs, modernization of terminals, and digitalization of processes are planned – from border controls to baggage management and boarding – to increase throughput and reduce operational bottlenecks.
Such projects have a dual function. The first is operational: without larger capacities, it is difficult to achieve the goals of 330 million passengers and stronger cargo traffic. The second is symbolic: megaprojects are a way to send a message to partners and competition about long-term seriousness and financial strength, but also about the readiness to take on the role of a “trendsetter” in the region. In practice, this means an attempt to make Riyadh a place where traffic is not only redirected but where standards for growth, security, digitalization, and sustainability are also set.
What is expected from the Future Aviation Forum 2026: from slots to artificial intelligence
According to the announcements of the organizers and official descriptions of earlier editions, Future Aviation Forum 2026 should open discussions in several key blocks: growth and investment, airports and connectivity, supply chain resilience, air cargo and logistics, air traffic and capacity management, technology and digital transformation, human capital, and sustainability.
In practice, this means that part of the panels deals with very concrete questions – such as slot allocation, security standards, market regulation, and private investment mechanisms – while the other part goes towards new technologies: process automation, use of artificial intelligence in predicting crowds, development of advanced air mobility (e.g., eVTOL), and the development and availability of sustainable aviation fuels.
For Saudi Arabia, it is particularly important to show that growth does not come at the expense of safety and environmental goals. In international discussions, there is increasing pressure to align traffic growth with decarbonization, and the industry faces limitations in the availability of sustainable fuel, problems in supply chains, and a chronic lack of qualified labor. The Saudi approach communicated through the strategy and the forum combines investment incentives, market reforms, and an attempt to bind international partners to projects that promise growth, but also measurable shifts in efficiency and emission reduction.
Investment power as a tool of influence: where is the line between leadership and “buying position”
The key question increasingly asked alongside the Saudi aviation rise is: is the Kingdom building new leadership through innovation and standards – or is it primarily using deep pockets to secure a central place in the global network?
Arguments for the first thesis rely on the institutional role of GACA as a regulator, on reforms targeting private capital and market modernization, and on the fact that the Saudi platform is increasingly connecting with the international framework of ICAO. Arguments for the second thesis emphasize that the speed of growth will largely depend on state support, large aircraft orders, and megaprojects that are hard to imagine without public money.
In reality, these two approaches often go together. Large investments in fleet, leasing, and infrastructure serve both as a mechanism for attracting partners and as a way to speed up the adoption of new technologies and standards. Saudi Arabia is thus trying to leapfrog development phases that lasted for decades elsewhere: build a hub in a short time, raise service standards, and create a network of routes that will make Riyadh a serious competitor to established regional centers.
The broader context of Vision 2030: tourism, logistics, and “connecting three continents”
In Vision 2030, aviation is closely linked to tourism and logistics. Saudi geography – between Europe, Asia, and Africa – is often highlighted as an advantage for the development of transit flows and cargo corridors, but also as a base for inbound tourism growth. The goals of national strategies in tourism and transport support each other: without a larger number of flights and capacity, it is difficult to achieve the ambitions of visit growth, and without strong tourist and business potential, it is difficult to fill additional lines in the long run.
In this framework, the Future Aviation Forum is not just another conference. It is a demonstration of political will, a place where regulatory priorities are aligned, and an international stage on which Saudi Arabia seeks to confirm that the “future sky” will not be shaped only by traditional power centers. If the plan to connect with more than 250 destinations succeeds and the goal of 330 million passengers annually by 2030 is realized, Riyadh could become one of the key hubs of global lines by the end of the decade – not only because of geography but also because of the combination of regulation, capital, and strategic positioning that is increasingly openly conducted through forums like this.
Sources:- General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) – official page of Future Aviation Forum 2026: date, location, theme, and expected number of participants (link)- Saudi Press Agency (SPA) – news on holding the Future Aviation Forum 2026 under the patronage of King Salman and organized by GACA (link)- GACA – official overview of civil aviation results and highlighting record 128 million passengers in 2024 (link)- Saudi Press Agency (SPA) – details on traffic in 2024, breakdown of domestic and international passengers and comparison with 2023 and pre-pandemic period (link)- GACA (PDF) – “Introducing the Saudi Aviation Strategy”: goals of 330 million passengers, 250+ destinations, 4.5 million tons of cargo, and investments of 100 billion USD (link)- ICAO (PDF) – working document with data on Future Aviation Forum 2024 results and FAF 2026 context (link)
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