Air transport, freight (million ton-km) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Air transport, freight (million ton-km) was 1,037 million ton-km in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Air transport, freight in Saudi Arabia, 1970–2023
Source: Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Measured in million ton-km.
Analysis
In 2023, air transport, freight in Saudi Arabia stood at 1,037 million ton-km.
That represents a change of down 27.9% on the previous year and down 38.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, air transport, freight in Saudi Arabia peaked at 2,043 million ton-km in 2019 and was at its lowest, 4.5 million ton-km, in 1970.
That places Saudi Arabia 31st out of 180 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Air transport, freight (million ton-km) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | million ton-km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.5 million ton-km | — |
| 1971 | 11.6 million ton-km | +157.8% |
| 1972 | 15.1 million ton-km | +30.2% |
| 1973 | 26.5 million ton-km | +75.5% |
| 1974 | 35.8 million ton-km | +35.1% |
| 1975 | 50.1 million ton-km | +39.9% |
| 1976 | 82.6 million ton-km | +64.9% |
| 1977 | 105.8 million ton-km | +28.1% |
| 1978 | 136.5 million ton-km | +29.0% |
| 1979 | 155.3 million ton-km | +13.8% |
| 1980 | 165.5 million ton-km | +6.6% |
| 1981 | 243.1 million ton-km | +46.9% |
| 1982 | 353 million ton-km | +45.2% |
| 1983 | 424.5 million ton-km | +20.3% |
| 1984 | 458.8 million ton-km | +8.1% |
| 1985 | 455.1 million ton-km | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 437.2 million ton-km | -3.9% |
| 1987 | 453.2 million ton-km | +3.7% |
| 1988 | 490 million ton-km | +8.1% |
| 1989 | 604.7 million ton-km | +23.4% |
| 1990 | 609.6 million ton-km | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 486.6 million ton-km | -20.2% |
| 1992 | 679.2 million ton-km | +39.6% |
| 1993 | 718.3 million ton-km | +5.8% |
| 1994 | 809.5 million ton-km | +12.7% |
| 1995 | 894.9 million ton-km | +10.5% |
| 1996 | 862.8 million ton-km | -3.6% |
| 1997 | 926.4 million ton-km | +7.4% |
| 1998 | 934 million ton-km | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 1,000 million ton-km | +7.1% |
| 2000 | 999.56 million ton-km | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 799.57 million ton-km | -20.0% |
| 2002 | 862.29 million ton-km | +7.8% |
| 2003 | 852.45 million ton-km | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 956.69 million ton-km | +12.2% |
| 2005 | 1,021 million ton-km | +6.8% |
| 2006 | 1,066 million ton-km | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 1,230 million ton-km | +15.3% |
| 2008 | 1,383 million ton-km | +12.4% |
| 2009 | 1,838 million ton-km | +33.0% |
| 2010 | 1,325 million ton-km | -27.9% |
| 2011 | 1,501 million ton-km | +13.3% |
| 2012 | 1,815 million ton-km | +20.9% |
| 2013 | 1,694 million ton-km | -6.6% |
| 2014 | 1,600 million ton-km | -5.6% |
| 2015 | 826.83 million ton-km | -48.3% |
| 2016 | 833.99 million ton-km | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 867.64 million ton-km | +4.0% |
| 2018 | 1,085 million ton-km | +25.1% |
| 2019 | 2,043 million ton-km | +88.2% |
| 2020 | 581.52 million ton-km | -71.5% |
| 2021 | 678.56 million ton-km | +16.7% |
| 2022 | 1,439 million ton-km | +112.0% |
| 2023 | 1,037 million ton-km | -27.9% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 1,037 million ton-km is above the median for high income countries, which is 266.33 million ton-km, 3.9× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 1,037 million ton-km is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 101.35 million ton-km, 10.2× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Air transport, freight (million ton-km) in Saudi Arabia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | +157.8% | 4.5 million ton-km | 11.6 million ton-km |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 62.38 million ton-km | 4.5 million ton-km | 155.3 million ton-km | 10 |
| 1980s | 408.51 million ton-km | 165.5 million ton-km | 604.7 million ton-km | 10 |
| 1990s | 792.13 million ton-km | 486.6 million ton-km | 1,000 million ton-km | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,101 million ton-km | 799.57 million ton-km | 1,838 million ton-km | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,359 million ton-km | 826.83 million ton-km | 2,043 million ton-km | 10 |
| 2020s | 933.87 million ton-km | 581.52 million ton-km | 1,439 million ton-km | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More infrastructure data for Saudi Arabia
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 54.18 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 159.54 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 6.71 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 19.75 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.19 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 6.71 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.53 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is air transport, freight in Saudi Arabia?
- Air transport, freight in Saudi Arabia was 1,037 million ton-km in 2023, according to Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
- What is the highest air transport, freight recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 2,043 million ton-km in 2019.
- What is the lowest air transport, freight recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.5 million ton-km in 1970.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for air transport, freight?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 31st out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is air transport, freight rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), published as part of Air transport, freight (million ton-km). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Air freight is the volume of freight, express, and diplomatic bags carried on each flight stage (operation of an aircraft from takeoff to its next landing), measured in metric tons times kilometers traveled.