King Khalid International Airport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
King Khalid International Airport
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| Summary | |||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||
| Owner | The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) | ||||
| Serves | Riyadh | ||||
| Location | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | ||||
| Hub for | Saudia Flynas |
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| Elevation AMSL | 2,049 ft / 625 m | ||||
| Coordinates | 24°57′28″N 046°41′56″E / 24.95778°N 46.69889°E | ||||
| Statistics (2017) | |||||
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King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) is a very important airport in Saudi Arabia. It is located about 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of Riyadh, the capital city. This huge airport was designed by a company called HOK. Another company, Bechtel, helped manage its construction for the Saudi government.
KKIA first opened its doors in late 1983. Before that, commercial flights used what is now Riyadh Air Base. But as more people traveled by air, Riyadh needed a bigger and better airport. The old air base is now used by the Royal Saudi Air Force.
Contents
About King Khalid International Airport
King Khalid International Airport is one of the largest airports in the world. It has many cool features to help travelers.
Airport Features
The airport has five main buildings for passengers. Each building has eight special walkways called airbridges. These airbridges connect the terminal directly to the airplane. This means you don't need to take a bus to get to your flight!
There is also a special Royal Terminal. This terminal is used for important guests, like leaders from other countries. The Saudi royal family also uses it.
The airport has a very tall control tower. It helps guide planes safely. There are also two long runways, each about 4,260 meters (13,976 feet) long. These runways are long enough for even the biggest planes.
Space Shuttle Landing Site
Did you know that King Khalid International Airport was once chosen as a backup landing site for NASA's Space Shuttle? This shows how big and well-equipped the airport is!
The Airport Mosque
One of the most beautiful parts of KKIA is its mosque. It has a unique Islamic architecture design. The mosque is big enough for 5,000 people to pray inside. Another 5,000 people can pray in the area outside.
The mosque is right in the middle of the passenger terminals. This makes it a very important building. It's often the first thing visitors see when they arrive at the airport.
Airport Greenery
KKIA has a lot of green spaces. Over 500,000 square meters (5.4 million square feet) of the airport area is covered with plants. More than 225,000 trees, vines, shrubs, and ground cover plants were used. These plants make the airport look beautiful. They are found both outside and in the inner courtyards.
Images for kids
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Domestic Departure gate
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The US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates walks with U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Smith after arriving at King Khalid International Airport.
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King Khalid Airport Mosque in Riyadh
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Fountain at the airport
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An airbridge connected to an Airbus A320.
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Saudia Boeing 747-400 at King Khalid International Airport.
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A Saudia Airbus A320 at the gate.
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an Etihad Airways Airbus A340 at the gate.
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See also
In Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional Rey Khalid para niños
