Saudi Arabian Airlines, broadly known as Saudia, is the national flag Network provider of Saudi Arabia and one of the Middle East's most Validated airlines. Launched in 1945, the airline has transformed into a global aviation powerhouse, linking Saudi Arabia to major cities globally. Millions of travellers each year, whether on business, a spiritual quest, vacation, or to see relatives, find convenient options in Saudi Arabia's extensive domestic and international network.
The three primary airports in Saudi Arabia are King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) in Jeddah, King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh, and King Fahd International Airport (DMM) in Dammam. The airline manages more than 90 Locations in the Middle East and Gulf, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America, from these hubs.
A large portion of Saudia's traffic is driven by:
Spiritual Journey: (Hajj and Umrah), bringing millions of Muslim travellers to Makkah and Madinah annually.
Business and trade connections: with Gulf countries, Europe, and Asia.
Expatriate travel: between Saudi Arabia and countries like Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia.
Saudi Arabia's large geographic size and growing economy make domestic air travel essential. Saudi operates high-frequency routes between the country's main cities, serving both business and leisure travellers.
Jeddah - Riyadh: One of the world's busiest flight corridors with over 100 daily flights, including all airlines.
Saudia alone operates dozens of flights daily, offering flexibility and a short travel time of 1 hour - 40 minutes. Used by government officers, tourists and business executives.
Jeddah - Dammam: Key for connecting western Saudi Arabia with the eastern oil-rich region. High traffic from business travellers and residents visiting family.
Riyadh - Medina: Popular among religious journeys is visiting the Prophet's mosque in Medina. Serves domestic religious tourism year-round.
International travel is where Saudi Arabia truly shines, linking the kingdom to important global destinations. Here are some of the most popular and busiest international routes based on weekly seat capacity and frequency in 2025.
Jeddah - Cairo: Serves a large Egyptian expatriate community in Saudi Arabia and has strong tourism ties. Also popular during religious seasons for Egyptians performing Umrah.
Riyadh - Dubai: A vital Gulf business and leisure corridor connecting two major economic hubs.
Dubai - Jeddah: It is popular among UAE residents visiting Makkah and Madinah for pilgrimage.
Riyadh - London Heathrow: Serves business travellers, Saudi students in the UK, and leisure passengers.
Riyadh - Cairo: Economic and strong cultural ties between Saudi Arabia and Egypt make this route consistently busy.
Dhaka - Jeddah: Vital for Bangladeshi expatriate workers and Umrah pilgrims.
Jeddah - Jakarta: Connecting Saudi Arabia With Indonesia.
London - Jeddah: Popular with both pilgrims and tourists from Europe.
Jeddah - Casablanca: Boosts tourism and trade between Saudi Arabia and Morocco.
Kuala Lumpur - Jeddah: Attracts Malaysian pilgrims and vacation travellers heading to Saudi Arabia.
Middle East and Gulf: High-frequency flights to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Kuwait City, Manama (Bahrain), Muscat (Oman), Amman (Jordan), and Beirut (Lebanon). Serves both business travellers and tourists.
South Asia: Extensive connections to India (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram) and Pakistan (Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar). Essential for large expatriate communities in Saudi Arabia.
Southeast Asia: Popular destinations include Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Manila, and Bangkok. Strong demand for religious travel, tourism and trade.
Europe: Direct flights to London, Manchester, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Brussels, Vienna, and Geneva. Appeal to both leisure travellers and those seeking connections to North America.
Africa: Routes to Casablanca, Khartoum, Addis Ababa, and Cairo support tourism, family visits, and business.
North America: Direct flights to New York (JFK), Washington D.C. (IAD), and Los Angeles (LAX).
1. What is Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia)?
Saudi Arabian Airlines, also known as Saudia, is the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, operating International and domestic flights to cover over 90 destinations worldwide.
2. What are Saudia's busiest domestic routes?
The busiest domestic route is Jeddah - Riyadh, followed by Jeddah - Dammam and Riyadh - Medina.
3. Which is the most popular domestic route of Saudi?
Jeddah–Riyadh is the most popular, with dozens of daily flights and very high passenger demand.
4. What is the busiest international route of Saudi?
Jeddah–Cairo is the busiest international route, with around 63 weekly flights.
5. Why is the Jeddah–Cairo route so popular?
It serves a large Egyptian expatriate community, has strong cultural ties, and offers religious travel for Umrah.
6. Does Saudi Airline operate flights to the UAE?
Yes, Saudi Airline operates multiple daily flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.
7. Which European cities are most popular in Saudia's network?
London, Manchester, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, and Vienna are among the most popular European destinations.
8. Does Saudia Airline fly to North America?
Yes, Saudia Airline operates direct flights to New York (JFK), Washington D.C. (IAD), and Los Angeles (LAX).
9. What are Saudia's busiest South Asian routes?
Routes to Delhi, Mumbai, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Dhaka, and Kochi are in high demand due to large expatriate communities.
10. Does Saudi Airline fly to Southeast Asia?
Yes, Saudia Airline operates flights to Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Manila, and Bangkok.
11. How many hubs does Saudia have?
Saudia's main hubs are Jeddah (JED), Riyadh (RUH), and Dammam (DMM).
12. Which African destinations does Saudia serve?
Cairo, Casablanca, Khartoum, and Addis Ababa are key African destinations in Saudia's network.
13. Does Saudia Airline operate seasonal flights?
Yes, Saudia increases flights to Makkah and Medina during the Hajj and Umrah seasons, and adds seasonal destinations based on demand.
14. How does Saudia support pilgrimage travel?
Saudia dedicates extra flights and special services for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims from all over the world.
15. Why is the Dhaka–Jeddah route important?
It serves Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia and pilgrims travelling for Umrah and Hajj.
