09/04/2026 02:29 AST
Saudi Arabia's fastest-growing low-cost carrier, flyadeal, has launched scheduled flights from Riyadh to the northwestern region of Neom, marking its second route to the destination alongside its existing twice-weekly service from Dammam.
The four-times-weekly route linking Riyadh with Neom Bay Airport mainly caters to commuters and workers supporting the Kingdom's mega infrastructure developments in Tabuk Province, according to a statement.
This aligns with flyadeal's broader expansion trajectory, having carried 11 million passengers in 2025 and projecting 12 to 13 million in 2026, supported by plans to increase capacity by 20 to 25 percent as it grows its fleet and targets an "operational leap" to a total of 98 aircraft, CEO Steven Greenway told Al-Eqtisadiah in December.
"The new Riyadh - Neom route underscores flyadeal's commitment to create air corridors that support the government's drive to build significant economic infrastructure across the Kingdom," Lloyd Misquitta, flyadeal acting chief commercial officer, said.
"Neom is a prime example of key development focus, at the center of several giga-projects in Saudi Arabia. The destination builds on flyadeal's continued efforts to develop new routes and increase frequencies in our home market, now representing 70 percent of the airline's overall capacity," Misquitta added.
Opened in 2019, Neom Bay is the Kingdom's fourth airport, designed to support travel to a region focused on tourism, sustainable living, and manufacturing, as well as logistics, key pillars of Vision 2030's economic diversification strategy beyond oil.
Both of flyadeal's Neom services are operated using Airbus A320 family aircraft, each configured with 186 seats in an all-economy layout.
The airline has rapidly emerged as the fastest-growing carrier in the Middle East, operating a modern fleet of 45 Airbus A320 family aircraft from its hubs in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Madinah, as well as Dammam.
Flyadeal serves over 40 destinations, both seasonal and year-round, across Saudi Arabia as well as the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa, as well as South Asia.
By 2030, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030, flyadeal plans to more than double both its fleet and route network, expanding to over 100 aircraft and destinations.
Arab News
Please wait...
