Jeddah Airport Guide: Terminal 1, Hajj Terminal and Transfers

Jeddah airport, King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED), is the main gateway to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast and the arrival point for millions of pilgrims travelling to Makkah and Madinah. It runs the large Terminal 1, a new Terminal 4 opened in phases from September 2026, and the seasonal Hajj Terminal. Knowing which one you use shapes your whole arrival.

This guide covers the terminal layout, which airlines use which building, Terminal 1 Jeddah in detail, the Haramain train and road routes to Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah, Hajj and Umrah arrangements, lounges and practical tips. A note before we start: SilverDrive is an Amsterdam-based chauffeur company and does not operate in Saudi Arabia. Our part of the journey is the Amsterdam end, which we cover near the close.

Jeddah Airport at a Glance

King Abdulaziz International Airport opened in 1981 and is one of Saudi Arabia’s two largest airports, with a role no other airport shares: it is the closest major international airport to Makkah. Its traffic follows the Islamic calendar as much as the business week, peaking around Ramadan and the Hajj season.

Fact	Detail
Airport code	JED
Official name	King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA)
Location	North of central Jeddah
Main terminal	Terminal 1 (Saudia, flynas, flyadeal)
Other terminals	Terminal 4 (opened in phases from 27 September 2026), North Terminal (being vacated), Hajj and Umrah Terminals Complex
Rail link	Haramain High Speed Railway, station at Terminal 1
Road distance to Makkah	About 85 km

Jeddah Airport Terminals and Layout

Jeddah airport’s terminals are separate buildings, some distance apart. Unlike many hubs, you cannot simply walk from one to the next, so the terminal on your booking is the first thing to check.

Terminal 1 Jeddah

Terminal 1 Jeddah is the airport’s main terminal and the home of Saudia, the national airline, for both domestic and international flights. The Saudi low-cost airlines flynas and flyadeal also operate from here. It is a large, modern building with a wide, light-filled roof, and it was designed to handle the bulk of the airport’s traffic.

Two features make Terminal 1 more useful than most airport terminals:

The Haramain railway station is built into the Terminal 1 complex, so you can walk from arrivals to high speed trains for Makkah and Madinah without leaving the airport.
Saudia’s Alfursan lounge for premium passengers is one of the largest airline lounges in the SkyTeam alliance.

If you are flying Saudia between Amsterdam and Jeddah, you arrive at and depart from Terminal 1.

Terminal 4

Terminal 4 began phased operations on 27 September 2026, with a capacity of up to 15 million passengers a year. Jeddah Airports Company is moving foreign airlines into it from the North Terminal, along with some foreign carriers from Terminal 1 and from the Hajj and Umrah complex. The first airlines to move included Wizz Air, AJet and SalamAir, followed by Pegasus, Azerbaijan Airlines, Tunisair and others over the following days and weeks.

Because this move is happening as you read this, a flight that used the North Terminal on your last visit may now use Terminal 4. Check the terminal on your booking and with your airline within a day or two of departure.

North Terminal

The North Terminal has long been the base for foreign airlines outside the Saudia group. Under the transition plan, its airlines are moving to Terminal 4, so expect fewer flights here as the year goes on.

The Hajj and Umrah Terminals Complex

The Hajj Terminal is one of the most recognisable airport buildings in the world. Its roof of white fibreglass tents on steel pylons, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and opened in 1981, won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The tents shade large open-air halls where pilgrims can wait in comfort, with mosques, food outlets and services close at hand.

It is built for scale: the complex is designed to process tens of thousands of pilgrims at a time during the Hajj season. Outside the peak, its use varies, and some airlines have operated scheduled flights from it. If you are travelling for Hajj, your authorised Hajj operator will tell you which terminal your flight uses and how transport from the airport is arranged.

Terminal allocations at Jeddah are changing more than at most airports in 2026. Treat everything above as the current picture, not a fixed rule.

Getting From Jeddah Airport to the City, Makkah and Madinah

From Jeddah airport you can reach the city by road, and Makkah or Madinah by road or high speed rail. For the holy cities, the train is often the most predictable choice; for Jeddah itself, it is a car.

Option	Destination	Typical time
Haramain High Speed Railway	Makkah	Under an hour
Haramain High Speed Railway	Madinah	About 2 hours
Taxi, ride-hail or private car	Central Jeddah	25 to 40 minutes
Taxi, ride-hail or private car	Makkah	60 to 75 minutes, 90 to 120 in peak seasons
Taxi, ride-hail or private car	Madinah	More than 4 hours

By Train: the Haramain High Speed Railway

The Haramain line links Makkah, Jeddah, King Abdullah Economic City and Madinah at speeds of up to 300 km/h, with a station at the airport. From the airport, Makkah is under an hour away and Madinah about two hours. The airport station is part of the Terminal 1 complex, so passengers arriving at other terminals need to transfer to Terminal 1 first.

Trains are comfortable and have luggage space, but they sell out at busy times. During Ramadan, the Hajj season and school holidays, book as early as the booking system allows, and check the timetable for your date, because frequencies change through the year.

By Taxi and Ride-Hail

Official airport taxis wait outside arrivals. Uber and Careem both operate in Jeddah, are licensed by the Transport General Authority, and use designated pickup zones that the app shows after you land. Both are convenient for Jeddah itself. For the longer drive to Makkah, agree the price or check the app estimate before you start, and expect demand and prices to rise when several large flights arrive together.

By Private Car

A pre-booked car with a driver is the calmest option for families, older relatives, groups and anyone with heavy luggage. The driver meets you after customs, handles the cases and drives to your hotel. Choose a local operator that tracks your flight and includes waiting time after landing, because immigration at Jeddah can be slow when many flights arrive close together. During Hajj, road access around Makkah and the holy sites is tightly controlled, and transport for pilgrims is organised through their operator.

A Note on Access to Makkah

Entry to Makkah is restricted to Muslims. Checkpoints on the approach roads verify this, and non-Muslim travellers are directed onto roads that bypass the city. Rules on access and permits can be tightened ahead of the Hajj season, so pilgrims should follow the current instructions from Saudi authorities and their operator.

Hajj and Umrah Arrivals at Jeddah Airport

Jeddah airport sees its heaviest traffic of the year in the weeks around Hajj, with further peaks during Ramadan and the main Umrah periods. A few points help pilgrims and their families plan:

Hajj is organised through authorised operators. Pilgrims travel on the arrangements their operator makes, including the terminal, the transfer and the timing. Follow those instructions over any general guide, including this one.
Ihram and the miqat. Flights from Europe to Jeddah cross the miqat before landing, so pilgrims performing Umrah or Hajj usually prepare before departure or on board. Many airlines announce when the aircraft approaches it.
Expect longer processing times in peak periods. Immigration, baggage and onward transport all take longer when many pilgrim flights arrive together. Build that into any onward train booking.
Keep documents to hand. Visas, permits and identification are checked at the airport and on the road to Makkah.

Lounges at Jeddah Airport

Saudia’s Alfursan lounge in Terminal 1 is the airport’s flagship lounge, with separate business and first class areas, dining, prayer facilities and quiet rooms. Access comes with Saudia premium tickets, Alfursan elite status and SkyTeam elite status when flying Saudia, and walk-in access has been sold at the door. Other lounges in the airport serve foreign airlines and lounge programme members; with airlines moving to Terminal 4, check with your airline which lounge you can use.

Practical Tips for Jeddah Airport

Confirm your terminal close to departure. With Terminal 4 opening in phases, an older confirmation may name the wrong building.
Allow time between terminals. The terminals are separate buildings, and moving between them takes a road transfer, not a short walk.
Pre-book the train in busy seasons. Haramain trains fill up during Ramadan and around Hajj.
Respect local law and custom. Alcohol is prohibited in Saudi Arabia and must not be brought in. Modest dress is expected in public places.
Plan prayer times into connections. Some shops and services pause briefly around prayer times, and prayer rooms are available throughout the airport.
Leave early for the airport in the evening. Jeddah’s evening traffic can be heavy, especially on weekends and holidays.

Flying Between Jeddah and Amsterdam Schiphol

Saudia flies nonstop between Amsterdam Schiphol and Jeddah several times a week, in roughly six hours. The flights arrive at and depart from Terminal 1 Jeddah, where the Haramain station makes an onward train to Makkah or Madinah straightforward. KLM sells seats on the same flights under KLM flight numbers through its codeshare with Saudia, so a KLM booking to Jeddah may well be a Saudia aircraft. The number of weekly flights changes by season, so check the timetable for your dates.

Travellers who prefer other airlines, or need different days, connect through hubs such as Istanbul, Doha, Dubai or Cairo. At Schiphol, Jeddah flights leave from the non-Schengen part of the terminal; our Schiphol terminal guide explains the departure halls and piers, and the Amsterdam Schiphol airport guide covers the airport as a whole.

SilverDrive’s Role: The Amsterdam End

We do not drive in Saudi Arabia, and we will not suggest otherwise. What we do is the Dutch and European end of the same journey. A SilverDrive chauffeur collects you anywhere in the Netherlands and drives you to Schiphol with the flight tracked, at a fixed price agreed when you book. For families and groups travelling for Umrah, a Mercedes-Benz V-Class seats seven with their luggage, and our Sprinter VIP takes up to 16, so a group can travel to the airport together.

On the way home, your chauffeur follows the actual landing time, 60 minutes of waiting after touchdown is included, and you are met in the arrivals hall. That is worth a great deal after a pilgrimage, when energy is low and luggage often heavier than on the way out. Our airport transfer service runs 24 hours a day, and our Schiphol chauffeur pickup guide explains how the meeting works.

Planning Your Jeddah Airport Journey

Jeddah airport is easiest when you know your terminal, have decided between the Haramain train and the road, and have allowed for the season you are travelling in. With Terminal 4 opening, checking the terminal shortly before departure matters more than ever. For the Amsterdam end of the journey, book your Schiphol transfer and that part is settled before you leave.

Frequently asked questions

Which airlines use Terminal 1 at Jeddah airport?

Terminal 1 is the home of Saudia, for both domestic and international flights, and of the Saudi low-cost airlines flynas and flyadeal. Some foreign airlines have also used it. Most other foreign carriers are moving to the new Terminal 4 in phases, so confirm your terminal with your airline shortly before you travel.

What is the Hajj Terminal at Jeddah airport?

It is the Hajj and Umrah Terminals Complex, famous for its white tent roof, built to handle the very large numbers of pilgrims arriving and leaving around Hajj. It is used mainly during the Hajj season and busy Umrah periods, though some airlines have operated from it at other times. Your airline or Hajj operator confirms whether your flight uses it.

How do I get from Jeddah airport to Makkah?

The Haramain High Speed Railway runs from a station at Terminal 1 to Makkah in under an hour. By road, Makkah is roughly 85 kilometres away, usually 60 to 75 minutes in normal traffic and considerably longer in Ramadan and the Hajj season. Entry to Makkah is restricted to Muslims, with checkpoints on the approach roads.

Can I take the train from Jeddah airport to Madinah?

Yes. Haramain trains run from the airport station to Madinah in about two hours, which is much quicker than the drive of more than four hours. Book ahead during the Hajj season, Ramadan and school holidays, when trains fill early, and check the timetable because frequencies vary through the year.

Are there direct flights from Amsterdam to Jeddah?

Yes. Saudia flies nonstop between Amsterdam Schiphol and Jeddah several times a week, in roughly six hours, arriving at Terminal 1. KLM sells seats on the same flights under its own flight numbers through a codeshare. The number of weekly flights varies by season, so check the current timetable.

Do Uber and Careem work at Jeddah airport?

Yes. Both operate in Jeddah and serve the airport from designated pickup zones, which the app shows after you land. Official airport taxis are also available outside arrivals. At busy times, especially when several pilgrim flights land together, waiting times for app cars can rise sharply, so a pre-booked car is worth considering.

How far is Jeddah airport from the city centre?

King Abdulaziz International Airport lies north of the city. The drive to the central and older districts of Jeddah usually takes 25 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic and exactly where you are going. Evening traffic in Jeddah can be heavy, so allow extra time on the way back to the airport.