Inner and outer surfaces of structural components are aluminized by an aluminum gas diffusion process. For this purpose a gas mixture of a halogenous gas, aluminum monohalide gas, hydrogen, and negligible proportions of aluminum trihalide gas is caused to flow over the outer and inner surfaces of the component to be coated. The process is performed in a vessel in which at least two different temperature zones are maintained for keeping one or more aluminum sources at a higher temperature than the component to be coated. Especially gas turbine engine blades are protected against oxidation and corrosion by the so formed aluminum diffusion coatings on outer and inner surfaces of the blades.