Located 35 kilometers from the heart of the capital Amman, Queen Alia International Airport was inaugurated in 1983 to become Jordan’s key gateway to the world. The airport currently services 4.5 million passengers per year through two terminals, in addition to providing air cargo services. The airport operates under the highest principles of safety and security, equipped with advanced technology that complies with international standards.

The airport, which extends across 22 million square meters, includes two parallel runways stretching 3,660 meters in length and 61 meters in width, a separation area covering 1,446 square meters and an expansive docking area which can accommodate 32 aircrafts. The airport’s existing terminals are housed in two twin buildings and each contains dedicated departure and arrival areas covering 86,000 square meters. The terminals are connected via an over-fly passage where travelers can enjoy the exemplary retail airport shopping experience offered by Aldeasa Duty Free.

In November 2007, Airport International Group, under the terms of the 25-year concession agreement became responsible for the operation of the airport, the rehabilitation of existing facilities, and the construction of the new passenger terminal. The total fixed cost of the contract is US$700m (increased to US$750m). All funding is secured by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – the commercial arm of the World Bank.

Today, QAIA is undergoing a complete transformation. The existing terminals are in the process of a major refurbishment program while, in parallel, extensive construction is underway to build an 86,000 square meter state-of-the-art passenger terminal (expanded to 100,000 square meters)  with the capacity to handle 9 million passengers per year in the first quarter of 2012.