Saudi Arabia’s national flag carrier, Saudia, has added 20 extra flights connecting Riyadh, Jeddah and The Red Sea destination during the Eid Al-Fitr holiday period, increasing total operations on the routes to 44 flights and boosting capacity by more than 80%. A four-day public holiday has been declared from 18 to 21 March across the Kingdom.
The expansion, introduced in collaboration with the Saudi Tourism Authority and Red Sea Global, comes amid regional tensions involving Iran that have disrupted some international flight operations during March.
Saudia said passengers travelling to The Red Sea destination will enjoy an “integrated guest experience”, featuring AI-powered digital tools for personalised trip planning, smoother airport procedures and an onboard service that blends authentic Saudi hospitality with a diverse entertainment selection for all ages.
The Red Sea destination, developed by Red Sea Global, represents one of Saudi’s most ambitious regenerative tourism projects. Red Sea International Airport is located 13km inland on the country’s northwestern coast, providing access to nine luxury resorts now open to visitors.
These include Desert Rock, with suites carved into surrounding cliffs just a 30-minute drive from the airport, and Six Senses Southern Dunes, around an hour away. Additional openings such as Shebara, featuring overwater villas, and Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, further underscore the destination’s luxury positioning.
Meanwhile, Shura Island has launched with three operational hotels, including SLS, The Edition and InterContinental, plus a golf course, with eight more resorts set to open within the next year. Upon full completion in 2030, the destination will comprise 50 resorts, housing 8,000 hotel keys and over 1,000 residential units across 22 islands and six inland sites, all powered entirely by renewable energy.
The initiative supports Saudi’s national goal of attracting 150 million visitors annually by 2030, as outlined in the country’s tourism strategy.
Beyond its domestic network, Saudia continues to expand globally, now serving more than 100 destinations across four continents and operating flights to all 26 domestic airports within the kingdom.
The airline’s fleet, currently standing at 149 aircraft, will be strengthened by the addition of 116 new planes, enabling further international expansion and improved connectivity.
Saudia has begun rolling out free high-speed WiFi on its flights, with its pilot phase providing internet speeds of up to 300 Mbps, and future updates set to boost connectivity to 800 Mbps as the service expands across the entire fleet.
Source: connectingtravel.com
