Jeddah, SA 🇸🇦 Closed Airport
SA-0087
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- ft
SA-02
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 21.509148° N, 39.206085° E
Continent: AS
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: OEJD XZF
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| Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
15L/33R |
10000 ft | 150 ft | Asphalt | Active |
15R/33L |
10000 ft | 150 ft | Asphalt | Active |
| Type | Description | Frequency |
|---|
Approximately mid-2010s (around 2015-2016). An exact official closure date is not publicly available, but analysis of historical satellite imagery shows a cessation of all aircraft activity and the beginning of site degradation during this period.
The closure is primarily attributed to the massive expansion of the adjacent King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA / OEJN). The development of KAIA's new Terminal 1 and associated infrastructure, along with increasing air traffic, made the operation of a small general aviation field in such close proximity impractical and a safety concern. The land was likely reclaimed by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) for future airport-related development and to deconflict the busy airspace.
The site is currently abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery shows the single runway, taxiway, and apron are still intact but in a state of disrepair, with faded markings and encroaching sand. The hangars and administrative buildings appear to be standing but are unused. The entire area is fenced off and sits as dormant land within the larger perimeter of King Abdulaziz International Airport, awaiting future redevelopment.
Abbas Ibn Firnas Airport was a significant hub for general and recreational aviation in the Jeddah region. Named after the 9th-century Andalusian inventor who made early attempts at flight, the airport was home to the Saudi Aviation Club (SAC). Its primary operations included: flight training for private and sport pilot licenses, recreational flying for club members, and hosting light sport aircraft and single-engine planes (like Cessna 172s). It played a crucial role in fostering a private aviation community and providing an accessible entry point for aspiring pilots in western Saudi Arabia before its activities were consolidated or moved elsewhere.
There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Abbas Ibn Firnas Airport. Its reopening is considered extremely unlikely due to its location directly adjacent to one of the busiest international airports in the Middle East. The airspace is now completely integrated with KAIA's operations, and the land holds high value for airport support services, logistics hubs, or commercial zones. The future of the site is almost certainly redevelopment rather than a return to aviation use.
Abbas Ibn Firnas Airport was operational as a major passenger airport from 1945 until May 1981. It was opened in 1939 as a military airstrip. Through its operational years, it had 4 runways. It had two original runways, one E/W crosswind runway which was closed, and one runway which was requisitioned as a taxiway. Two new runways were built between 1970 and 1980. Today, not much remains of the airport.