Riyadh air traffic: 86% of flights canceled since mid-October

Missile and drone strikes by Yemen's Houthi rebels have grounded nearly 86% of scheduled flights at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh since early October.

Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported on Monday that 4,071 of 4,736 planned departures were canceled between October 8 and October 25. The airport, which ranks as the second-busiest in Saudi Arabia after Jeddah, has faced repeated targeting by ballistic missiles and drones aimed at infrastructure.

The disruption began in earnest on October 10, when an attack killed 13 people, marking the deadliest incident in the kingdom in over a decade. Saudi authorities halted operations at the time and only partially reopened the facility on Sunday. Domestic flights resumed from Terminal 1, while international services from national carriers were allowed to operate from Terminal 2.

The resumption of service was short-lived. Houthi forces announced on Monday that they had struck the airport again, labeling it a military target. In response, international airlines have suspended their routes to the Saudi capital through November. Delta Air Lines has delayed the start of its new Riyadh service until next year.

The impact of the strikes has extended beyond the aviation sector. Major events in Riyadh, including the country's primary investment conference, have been canceled or postponed due to travel difficulties. The disruption has also affected the wider national network, with Cirium data indicating that more than 7,800 flights, or 45% of all scheduled departures from Saudi airports, were canceled during the same period.

Cancellation rates peaked on October 12, when over 60% of flights across the kingdom were scrapped. Other regional hubs have experienced similar disruptions. Dammam saw a 42% cancellation rate, while Abha recorded a 46.7% drop. Smaller airports near the Yemeni border were hit hardest, with every scheduled flight canceled at Najran.

The ongoing campaign has left the airspace over Riyadh largely empty for much of the month. The Houthis have targeted ports and oil facilities alongside airports, forcing airlines to reassess their operational plans. The data reflects a two-week period of intense conflict that has reshaped travel patterns across the region.