Saudi Arabian Airlines is set to add 25 new international destinations as part of a major expansion of its global network.
The carrier, also known as Saudia, will fly to several new European destinations in the coming months, including London Gatwick, Birmingham, Nice, Lisbon, Malaga, Sarajevo in Bosnia, and Larnaca in Cyprus.
Saudia said that all routes would begin during 2023 with schedule details to be announced “soon”. They will be operated by a combination of Saudia and its sister low-cost carrier Flyadeal.
The expansion comes just two weeks after the country announced the creation of a new airline called Riyadh Air which aims to serve more than 100 destinations globally by the end of the decade.
Saudi Arabia is looking to diversify its economy and reduce the country’s dependence on oil production by opening up to travel and tourism through its Vision 2030 initiative.
Ibrahim Al-Omar, CEO of Saudia Group, said: “These new destinations will offer greater access and choices to our guests. Given the increase of demand in international travel, this is the right time to expand our global network in new, exciting ways.”
Moves to make it easier to visit the country include the new Your Ticket Your Visa electronic system linking transit visas with flight tickets, which are available at all international airports in Saudi Arabia and allow stays of up to 96 hours.
