Terminal 1

Gates 11–18 sit in Terminal 1 at the far left

Gates 11–18 in Terminal 1 handle Emirates, Gulf Air, Turkish Airlines and a rotating cast of non-Saudia carriers like KLM and Lufthansa at King Khalid International Airport. Landside, T1 is the farthest left building in the 1–4 complex, so check your boarding pass before your driver drops you at the wrong curb. Gate count is small – eight contact gates – so crowds bunch up around peak bank times.

Layout and getting between the terminals

Terminals 1–4 link by walkways, and walking from T1 to T3/4 airside can run 10–20 minutes depending on your pace. That same link means a misread “3” vs “1” on the boarding pass can cost you a long hike and a missed boarding call. If you arrive by taxi or Uber, T1’s left‑side curb is closest for gates 11–18 and farthest from the newer T3/T4 pair.

Food: fast chains first, local names if you have time

McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC and Subway sit in the main departures hall of T1, with combo meals usually in the SAR 25–40 range. Starbucks runs standard airport pricing on espresso drinks, and you will see queues here during late-night long‑haul waves from Emirates and Turkish. AlBaik in T1 is the Saudi classic for fried chicken; expect lines that can hit 20–30 minutes around evening departures.

Better coffee and snacks beyond the big logos

Mazza w Mashawi, Crepe Affaire, Mama Benz Café, St Mia and Shawarmer provide slightly more local or niche options than the global chains. Prices hover around SAR 20–35 for sandwiches or shawarma wraps at Shawarmer and similar for crepes at Crepe Affaire. Pret a Manger adds grab‑and‑go salads and sandwiches, handy if you board a Gulf Air or Emirates flight at gate 14 without a full meal service.

Lounges: Plaza Premium and a separate First Class space

The Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 1 usually opens roughly 24 hours with peak pressure in the midnight–3 a.m. bank serving carriers like Emirates, Gulf Air and other partners. Expect basic hot dishes, soft drinks, and showers, with walk‑in rates often around SAR 180–220 when bought at the door or via third‑party apps. A separate First Class Lounge serves eligible premium and elite passengers; access rules vary by airline contract, so check Emirates, Gulf Air or Turkish rules before you bank on it.

Shopping: duty free plus a few global brands

Riyadh Duty Free in T1 stocks liquor (for outbound), perfumes, and electronics with typical Gulf duty free pricing, and it sits near the main international departure area for gates 11–18. Bath & Body Works and DKNY cover mid‑range personal care and fashion, while Virgin Megastore and Foot Locker add headphones, travel gadgets and sneakers if you forgot something. Relay, a generic souvenir shop and a pharmacy fill the last‑minute needs: phone cables, SIMs, painkillers and snacks 30–60 minutes before boarding.

What regulars do between terminals

Some regulars with 3–5 hour layovers walk from T1 toward T3/T4 using the internal walkways to check out the newer concourses and a broader pool of foreign carriers. That walk can easily hit 1 km each way, so factor at least 25–30 minutes round‑trip plus time for security or passport checks if your routing requires them. Many then time their return to T1 for boarding at gates 11–18 about 45 minutes before departure on airlines like Turkish or Gulf Air.

Practical tip

Plan your ground drop at Terminal 1’s left‑most curb, then be at security a full 90 minutes before an Emirates, Gulf Air or Turkish Airlines departure from gates 11–18; the small gate count means one delayed wide‑body can flood the queues fast.