October deadline set for Abha airport PPP bids
27 August 2025
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Holding Company (Matarat) and the National Centre for Privatisation & PPP (NCP) have extended the tender closing date to mid-October for a contract to develop and operate a new passenger terminal building and related facilities at Abha International airport.
MEED understands that the previous bid deadline was in late June.
In early March, the clients held one-on-one meetings with prospective bidders in Riyadh, as reported by MEED.
The companies prequalified to bid for the contract are:
- GMR Airports (India)
- Mada TAV: Mada International Holding (local) / TAV Airports Holding
- Touwalk Alliance: Skilled Engineers Contracting (local) / Limak Insaat (Turkiye) / Incheon International Airport Corporation (South Korea) / Dar Al-Handasah Consultants (Shair & Partners, Lebanon) / Obermeyer Middle East (Germany/Abu Dhabi)
- VI Asyad DAA: Vision International Investment Company (local) / Asyad Holding (local) / DAA International (Ireland)
Located in Asir Province, the first phase of the Abha International airport public-private partnership (PPP) project will expand the terminal area from 10,500 square metres (sq m) to 65,000 sq m.
The contract scope includes a new rapid-exit taxiway on the existing runway, a new apron to serve the new terminal, access roads to the new terminal building and a new car park area.
Additionally, the scope encompasses support facilities, including an electrical substation expansion and a new sewage treatment plant.
Construction is scheduled for completion in 2028.
The project will be developed under a build-transfer-operate (BTO) model and involves designing, financing, constructing and operating a greenfield terminal.
This will be the kingdom’s third airport PPP project, following the Hajj terminal at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International airport and the $1.2bn Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International airport in Medina.
Higher capacity
According to Matarat, Abha airport’s capacity will increase to accommodate over 13 million passengers annually—a 10-fold rise from its current 1.5 million capacity.
Once completed, the airport will handle more than 90,000 flights a year, up from 30,000.
The new terminal is also expected to feature 20 gates and 41 check-in counters, including seven new self-service check-in kiosks.
The BTO contract duration is 30 years.
The existing terminal, which served 4.4 million passengers in 2019, will be closed once the new terminal becomes operational.
Matarat’s transaction advisory team for the project comprises UK-headquartered Deloitte as financial adviser, ALG as technical adviser and London-based Ashurst as legal adviser.
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> AGENDA 1: Middle East invests in giant airports
> AGENDA 2: Broader region upgrades its airports
> AGENDA 3: Global air travel shifts east
> CURRENT AFFAIRS: Syria wrestles fragile security situation
> GCC BANKS: Gulf banks navigate turbulent times
> CONSTRUCTION: Soudah Peaks outlines project construction plans
> INTERVIEW: SETS leads Saudi heritage preservation charge
> LEADERSHIP: From plastic leakage to leadership in the Gulf
> MAGHREB MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb pushes for stability
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Dubai seeks consultants for drainage projects6 February 2026
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Modon tenders Ras El-Hekma construction contracts6 February 2026
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AD Ports signs Jordan Aqaba port PPP deal6 February 2026
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