24/08/2026 03:58 AST
As travel activity returns to normal levels following a busy summer season and the start of the academic year, Saudi airlines have opened the door to price competition, offering discounts of up to 50 percent. Through these offers, national carriers aim to maintain booking momentum and encourage families and travelers to seize lower-cost travel opportunities outside peak periods.
Riyadh Air, flynas, and Saudia are offering varying deals on a number of international flights and destinations, including ticket price reductions and incentives linked to loyalty programs, as airlines seek to attract travelers during periods following the holiday season.
Financial and economic adviser Dr. Hussein Al-Attas told Asharq Al-Awsat that airline price offers come at an important time, particularly as the summer holiday season ends and demand shifts from its peak to more normal levels. He said lower prices could encourage some consumers to travel during less crowded periods and help airlines maintain good load factors rather than suffer a sharp decline in demand after the season ends.
Al-Attas explained that lower airfares could affect travelers' overall spending, allowing families to redirect part of the money that would otherwise have gone toward airline tickets to hotels, restaurants, shopping, and tourism activities, thereby supporting the broader travel and tourism ecosystem.
He noted that lower ticket prices do not necessarily mean a decline in overall tourism spending, as lower travel costs could lead to more trips or longer stays, resulting in higher travel-related spending despite the lower cost of the ticket itself.
According to Al-Attas, price has become one of the most influential factors in travelers' decisions, particularly as families have become more sensitive to costs. He explained that competition among airlines affects not only the choice of carrier, but can also prompt travelers to change their travel dates or choose an alternative destination with a lower cost of reaching it.
He added that the coming period could see greater flexibility among travelers regarding the timing of their trips, allowing them to take advantage of offers outside peak periods, which would help distribute demand throughout the year and reduce the seasonality of travel.
He pointed out that lower ticket prices are a positive factor in families' ability to manage their travel budgets and may allow them to maintain travel plans while reducing overall costs or redirecting some of the savings to other expenses. He said price competition, when accompanied by improved service quality and a wider range of options, benefits consumers and supports the growth of Saudi Arabia's travel market.
For his part, tourism media specialist Mohammed Al Abdul Karim told Asharq Al-Awsat that the high volume of airfare offers currently seen in the Saudi market is a natural and expected development in the seasonal cycle of travel demand, coinciding with the end of the peak summer holiday period and the return of schools. This changes the pattern of demand for flights, particularly family and leisure travel, he said, confirming that local airlines are competing in this area.
Al Abdul Karim said July and August are typically among the periods of highest demand for international travel among Saudis, which raises flight load factors and reduces the need for promotional pricing. As the season ends and families return to their usual routines, airlines begin repricing part of their available seat capacity and introducing offers aimed at stimulating demand and maintaining good flight load factors.
According to Al Abdul Karim, "What we are seeing does not necessarily mean a general decline in ticket prices, as airlines use dynamic pricing that changes according to demand levels, booking rates, flight dates, available capacity, and the level of competition on each route."
Al Abdul Karim expected the offers to continue in the coming weeks, particularly on international tourist destinations that saw high demand during the summer, with significant opportunities to secure competitive fares on midweek flights and routes served by multiple flights and carriers.
He added that the biggest beneficiary during this period is the traveler with flexibility in travel dates, as more pricing options become available after the peak season subsides, particularly during the period between the end of the summer holiday and the start of the next travel seasons. He said competition among local airlines had contributed to stimulating seasonal offers, with discounts of up to 50 percent on some flights and destinations, as carriers seek to stimulate demand and raise seat load factors after a summer season that saw high demand.
The offers launched by Saudi carriers vary in terms of discount levels and booking and travel periods. Riyadh Air announced discounts of up to 35 percent on base fares for premium economy, 20 percent for economy, and 15 percent for business class on selected destinations. The offer can be booked from August 18 to 31, with travel from September 1, 2026, through February 28, 2027.
For its part, flynas introduced fares starting at 239 riyals ($63.70) one way on a selection of international flights, with bookings available until August 31 and travel through October 31.
Saudia also offered discounts of up to 50 percent on international destinations, along with an additional tier credit for AlFursan members. Bookings remain open until September 3, for travel between September 1 and December 10, 2026. The offer applies to both Guest and Business classes.
The current offers reflect the range of competitive tools being used by Saudi carriers to attract international travelers, as airlines seek to stimulate demand outside the peak summer travel season and encourage bookings for the coming periods.
Asharq Al Awsat
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