King Abdulaziz International Airport

JED opened on May 31st, 1981, following the culmination of construction in 1974. It was initially known for its Hajj Terminal. The terminal was built for people's pilgrimage to Mecca and could accommodate 80,000 travelers. Furthermore, it was known for its tent-like roof structure, with ten modules, each consisting of 21 "tents," grouped into two blocks of five modules. The vast majority of the structure is meant to function like a village, as it is an open area with everything from a souk (market) to a mosque. In 2006, a three-stage development plan went into effect, eventually allowing the airport to eventually service 80 million passengers per year. The expansion includes a new terminal building, a 136-meter tall air traffic control tower (the world's tallest), fuel network systems, an electronic passenger guidance system, and more. In 2019, the new 8,700,000-square-foot Terminal 1 was completed, one of the most significant airport terminal buildings in the world. It includes a central garden area, a massive aquarium (33 feet in diameter and 46 feet in height), a mosque, and more. It is accessed via the Haramain high-speed rail project.

The airport is located 18 miles north of Jeddah.

• Besides the airport proper, the land includes the royal terminal, facilities for the Royal Saudi Air Force, and housing for airport staff. 
• The FBOs at JED are Jet Aviation Jeddah and Saudia Private Aviation. 
• The Hajj Terminal received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1983, citing the "brilliant and imaginative design of the roofing system...covering this vast space with incomparable elegance and beauty."