Saudi regional airports deepen carbon drive

Several airports operated by Cluster2 Airports have secured higher carbon accreditation from Airports Council International, placing Saudi Arabia’s regional aviation network deeper into the global push to measure, reduce and manage airport emissions.

Arar Airport has attained Level 4+ under the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, one of its highest tiers, while King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan, Najran Airport, Sharurah Airport, Wadi Al-Dawasir Airport and Al-Wajh Airport have achieved Level 2. The certifications mark a step up from the Level 1 status gained across Cluster2’s network last year, when 22 airports entered the programme by measuring their carbon footprints and setting out structured emissions strategies.

Level 4+ requires an airport to demonstrate an absolute emissions reduction target, widen its carbon-management approach beyond basic footprint measurement, and offset remaining Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions as well as staff business travel through recognised credits. Level 2 requires airports to show effective carbon-management procedures and provide evidence of quantified emissions reductions. The distinction is significant for a regional airport operator whose network includes domestic, tourist and international gateways outside the Kingdom’s largest hub airports.

Cluster2 Airports manages 22 airports across Saudi Arabia and has become a key part of the Kingdom’s aviation expansion outside Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah. The company’s portfolio supports domestic connectivity, pilgrimage-related movement, business travel and tourism flows into emerging destinations. Its airports handled more than 19.9 million passengers in 2025, an 11 per cent increase from the previous year, alongside more than 164,000 flights. Departure punctuality stood near 88 per cent, while arrival punctuality was slightly above 87 per cent, indicating that the sustainability push is unfolding alongside rising traffic and operational pressure.

The accreditation comes as Saudi Arabia seeks to expand aviation capacity under Vision 2030 while cutting the carbon intensity of transport and infrastructure. The national aviation strategy targets 330 million passengers annually by 2030 and connectivity to more than 250 destinations, supported by airport upgrades, new airlines, logistics projects and tourism development. That rapid growth creates a sharper test for airport operators, as higher passenger volumes usually increase energy demand, ground transport activity, waste output and emissions from supporting services.

Airport carbon accreditation does not cover the full climate footprint of aviation, particularly aircraft emissions from flights, which remain the largest source of the sector’s carbon output. Its importance lies in the areas airports can control or influence directly: terminal energy use, ground vehicles, lighting, cooling, waste systems, procurement, staff travel and engagement with tenants, airlines and service partners. For regional airports, progress often depends on practical measures such as improving energy efficiency, modernising building systems, electrifying ground support equipment, installing better monitoring systems and integrating emissions data into capital planning.

Arar Airport’s Level 4+ status gives the Cluster2 portfolio a higher benchmark within the network. The airport serves the Northern Borders region and is positioned to support domestic connectivity, government services, business travel and cross-border economic activity. Its elevation to a tier requiring emissions reduction and offsetting signals that carbon management is no longer confined to the Kingdom’s largest airports or flagship aviation projects.

The Level 2 certifications for Jazan, Najran, Sharurah, Wadi Al-Dawasir and Al-Wajh show broader adoption of emissions governance across different airport types. Jazan serves a populous south-western region and has growing strategic relevance for trade, tourism and border connectivity. Najran and Sharurah are important southern gateways, while Wadi Al-Dawasir supports a large inland governorate. Al-Wajh is linked to the Red Sea tourism corridor, where airport sustainability is increasingly tied to destination branding and environmental protection.

The broader challenge for Saudi aviation is to align expansion with the Kingdom’s climate commitments, including the national target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2060 and a 2030 goal to reduce emissions by 278 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually. Airport-level improvements cannot by themselves decarbonise aviation, but they create measurable accountability within a sector that is expanding quickly.