Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport (MED)

Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport is to surely the longest name an airport can have. However, it is not that big! At the moment it is a regional airport situated 15 kilometers northeast of Medina or Madinah. Since its opening it experienced increasing traffic so that an extension of world class standards is in planning now. The reason why it steadily gains relevance is of course the closeness to the Holy City of Medina which is visited by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims each year. This airport and the one in Jeddah are the only ways to get there.

However, it is still quite a simple airport with just one terminal and two runways. It contains some shops that offer a wide range of products like souvenirs, gifts, brochures, magazines, newspapers and books in the departure lounges. International brands are available. Speaking of duty free shops are unnecessary because everything in Saudi Arabia is duty free by law! There is also a restaurant open to the general public and some fast food restaurants in the departure lounge. About the city of Medina it is important to know that entering it is just allowed for Muslims.

Arrivals and Departures

The airport mostly serves domestic flight to Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam but also limited international flights to destinations mostly in the Middle East like Cairo, Doha, Dubai, Istanbul and Kuwait. During Hajj Season – the main tourist season, especially with a lot of pilgrims – international charter flights to further destinations are scheduled.