Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz
International Airport
Qassim, the agricultural heart of the Kingdom. A 9,843 foot runway at 2,126 feet, the one Saudi field where elevation and runway length meet, and the gateway to Buraydah and the northern provinces.
Reviewed by Kevin Singh, Founder · Fact-checked against Icarus Jet fleet and airport operations data · Last updated 2 September 2026
The Airport
Qassim at a glance
The airport carries the ICAO code OEGS and the identifier ELQ. A single runway of 3,000 metres, about 9,843 feet, at 2,126 feet elevation, with ICAO Category 8 fire cover. It is operated by Matarat Holding Company and sits in Buraydah, the capital of Qassim Province.
It was Qassim International Airport until 5 July 2012, and a good deal of published material still uses that name. The codes did not change.
The Calculation
Where elevation and runway length meet
Among the six Saudi airports in this library, Qassim is the one where performance wants the most attention. Not because either number is alarming on its own, but because of how they combine.
The runway is 9,843 feet, the shortest of the six. The field sits at 2,126 feet, close to Riyadh and Madinah. And Qassim summers are as hot as anywhere in the central Kingdom.
For most business aircraft that is entirely comfortable. For a heavy departure on a July afternoon it is a calculation rather than an assumption, and it is the reason we run figures here that we might not bother to run at Jeddah or Dammam with their 13,000 foot runways at sea level.
There is no airport slot or PPR. Handling is not mandatory. Jet A-1 is available.
Why here
The northern provinces, and a regional economy
Qassim is the agricultural heart of Saudi Arabia, known for dates and wheat, and the airport’s traffic reflects a working regional economy rather than a tourist or pilgrim flow. It primarily serves the northern provinces and is roughly four hours from Riyadh by road, so for a Buraydah destination flying to the capital and driving is not a sensible alternative.
It is an international airport, though with a limited scheduled network across the Gulf, Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey. For private traffic what that status delivers is customs and immigration on the field.
Landing and overflight permits are issued by the General Authority of Civil Aviation and obtained through approved local agents within the Kingdom. The detail is in our Saudi permits guide. Since 1 May 2025 foreign operators may fly charter between Saudi cities without a local partner, so a Riyadh to Qassim leg on a foreign-registered aircraft is now straightforward.
History
From a 1964 field to a royal renaming
The airport was established in 1964 as a regional field serving Buraydah. An expansion programme launched under Prince Sultan, then crown prince and minister of defence and aviation, brought it to its present scale.
On 5 July 2012 King Abdullah renamed it by royal decree for Crown Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, who had died the previous month. The renaming marked its status as the international airport for the northern provinces, and it is the reason two names for the same field remain in circulation.
Nearby
Qassim and the Saudi fields
Saudi Arabia is very large and its airports are not alternatives to one another. Choose by destination.
OERKKing Khalid International, RiyadhOEJNKing Abdulaziz International, JeddahOEDFKing Fahd International, Dammam
OEMAPrince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz, MadinahOEHLHail International
Hail serves Hail Province further north and west, about three hours away by road, with a longer runway but a higher field. Riyadh is the capital, four hours south. Jeddah and Madinah are the pilgrim gateways in the west. Dammam serves the Eastern Province.
Airport guides & index
Questions
Qassim, answered
Can private jets use Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International?
Yes. The runway is 9,843 feet, or 3,000 metres, at 2,126 feet elevation, with ICAO Category 8 fire cover. That is comfortable for the whole of business aviation, though the shortest runway among the six Saudi airports we cover, and the elevation means a summer afternoon departure at heavy weight is worth calculating rather than assuming. There is no airport slot or PPR; the national GACA landing permit governs the trip.
Where is Qassim airport and what does it serve?
It is in Buraydah, the capital of Qassim Province in the centre-north of the Kingdom, and it primarily serves the northern provinces. Qassim is the agricultural heart of Saudi Arabia, known for dates and wheat, and the airport's traffic reflects a regional economy rather than a tourist or pilgrim flow. It is roughly four hours from Riyadh by road.
Why is the airport called Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz?
It was renamed by royal decree of King Abdullah on 5 July 2012, in memory of Crown Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, who had died the previous month. Before that it was Qassim International Airport, and a good deal of published material, including some flight planning data, still uses the old name. The codes ELQ and OEGS are unchanged.
How long is the runway at Qassim?
9,843 feet by 148 feet, designated 15/33, in asphalt concrete. At 2,126 feet elevation that is more than adequate for business aircraft, but it is the shortest of the Saudi fields in this library and the one where elevation and runway length interact most, so a heavy summer departure wants proper figures.
Is Qassim really an international airport?
Yes, though the international network is limited. Scheduled international routes serve a small number of countries in the Gulf, Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey, with some seasonal services. For private traffic, international status means customs and immigration are available on the field, which is what matters.
Do you need a GACA permit for Qassim?
Yes. Landing and overflight permits for non-scheduled flights are issued by the General Authority of Civil Aviation and obtained through approved local agents within the Kingdom. Since 1 May 2025 foreign operators may also fly charter between Saudi cities without a local partner, so a Riyadh to Qassim leg on a foreign-registered aircraft is now straightforward.
Is ground handling mandatory at Qassim?
No, handling is not mandatory in the regulatory sense, though every private movement uses an agent. Jet A-1 is available. Fire cover is ICAO Category 8.
Who operates the airport?
Matarat Holding Company, the state-owned holding company that operates a group of Saudi airports on behalf of the General Authority of Civil Aviation.
When was Qassim airport established?
In 1964, as a regional field serving Buraydah. An expansion programme launched under Prince Sultan, then crown prince and minister of defence and aviation, brought it to its current scale, and the 2012 renaming marked its status as an international airport for the northern provinces.
Qassim or Hail for the north?
Qassim for Buraydah and the Qassim region. Hail for Hail Province further north and west. They are about three hours apart by road and serve different parts of the northern Nejd. Hail has the longer runway at 12,204 feet but sits higher at 3,331 feet; Qassim has Category 8 fire cover against Hail's Category 7.
What is the elevation at Qassim?
2,126 feet, close to Riyadh at 2,049 feet and Madinah at 2,151 feet. Combined with a 9,843 foot runway it is the Saudi field where density altitude matters most in a performance calculation.
What time zone is Qassim in?
Arabia Standard Time, UTC+3, all year. Saudi Arabia does not observe daylight saving.
Get Your Number
Request a Qassim charter
Send the aircraft, the load and the month. We run the departure figures against 9,843 feet at 2,126 feet elevation at realistic temperatures, file the GACA permit through an approved local agent, and plan any Riyadh leg under the 2025 rules.
Prefer to talk? Call +1 888 277 7203 or email charter@icarusjet.com. The desk is staffed 24/7.