Find cheap SAUDIA flights

Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation) is the national carrier of Saudi Arabia and a member of the SkyTeam global alliance. The airline has a growing network of destinations with a modern fleet of Boeing and Airbus aircraft.

In an exciting move, the airline is rebranding itself as part of a national effort to boost tourism to the country. It is going back to its original vintage livery of green and blue with a striking plane design that is also making its way across other consumer-facing features like at the airport and onbord. When you see these newly painted aircraft crossing the runway, they’re genuine head-turners.

But here’s what matters before booking: flying Saudia comes with unique considerations, from the onboard service experience to visa requirements when transiting through its Middle East hub airports. Here’s what you should know.

Two hubs for one airline

Saudia operates two global hubs in Saudi Arabia: Riyadh, the capital city, and Jeddah, the country’s religious and resort tourism centre. Both airports serve long-haul destinations spanning the globe, which means you’ll likely transit through one of these cities. While Saudi Arabia’s tourism and aviation sectors are evolving, this dual-hub structure remains the airline’s operational foundation.

A major consideration for travellers is whether they need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia. For many, a visa application can be completed online, but some travellers will need to visit the Saudi embassy in their home country. It is important to note that no matter how long your connection time, you cannot leave the airport without the appropriate visa. But, you can transit the country and remain in the airport terminal without one.

I’ve spent many overnight hours stuck in the airport because I didn’t have a visa to exit and find a hotel. Saudi Arabia is relaxing some visa requirements as it grows its tourism sector, but don’t assume you can just walk out.

Luckily, the tide is changing, and Saudia offers a 96-hour electronic Stopover Visa for travellers with a long connection. This needs to be booked in conjunction with your ticket, however, and the visa must be approved before boarding. It’s not quite as simple as just walking out of the airport and hailing a taxi.

In Riyadh, Saudia operates its international flights from Terminal 4 and domestic flights from Terminal 5. Saudia and Flyadeal use Terminals 3 and 4 for international operations, respectively, while both airlines operate domestic flights from Terminal 5. These terminals host a variety of shops and restaurants.

In Jeddah, Saudia operates primarily from Terminal 1, which serves as the connecting complex for Saudia flights. This makes a transfer much easier than in years past with everything now under one roof in terminal 1 (do not leave without taking a picture of the colorful floor-to-ceiling fish tank).

Onboard service

Saudia crews offer friendly service in all cabins, but its business class is where travellers experience the most attention to detail. There is one big difference from other SkyTeam member airlines to be aware of: this is a dry airline, and no alcohol is served on Saudia flights (or in Saudi Arabia for that matter).

First Class

Saudia has first class on its Boeing 777 aircraft, and this is the most premium product the airline offers. Aside from not having any pricey bottles of alcohol, all the other bells and whistles are in place. This includes pajamas on long flights, snazzy amenity kits, and onboard chefs who customize your meals.

I like how the suites are very private and have plenty of storage space. The Wi-Fi doesn’t always work as expected (it’s not free anyway), and I wish there were more international selections on the entertainment system. The caviar, warm soup and plenty of Arabic meal options make it all worth it though.

What I find surprising is how many seats Saudia has in first class, compared to other airlines, with the Boeing 777-268ER (77L) featuring 24 First Class seats in a 2-2-2 layout. This is not the norm for first class, and it means that service is not as doting as it should be for that price point.

Try and find a flight on the Boeing 777-368ER (77Z) planes that have 12 First Class suites in a 1-2-1 layout. These are typically used on the longest flights.

Business class

Business class seats vary dramatically by aircraft. In my experience the best experience is on Saudia’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Boeing 777-368ER (77Z) planes with 1-2-1 configurations. Avoid the B777-200s at all costs because they have a dreadful 2-3-2 layout. Yes, middle seats in business class! Avoid the B777-200s for this very reason.

Saudia plans to upgrade all business class seats to private suites eventually. On narrowbody flights, expect spacious recliners rather than lie-flat seats, though select “low density” or refurbished Airbus A320 aircraft buck this trend with actual flat-beds. I find this rare and genuinely impressive for narrowbody aircraft.

While the lack of a full beverage menu is disappointing, the food aboard Saudia is tasty with plenty of Arabic (and specifically Saudi Arabian) dishes on offer. It would be nice if the airline developed a more interesting non-alcoholic beverage menu with smoothies, juices and mocktails.

This is an area of improvement although the date smoothie is something I still dream of having again.

Saudia offers dates and Arabic coffee during boarding, setting a cultural tone from the start. On flights with a duration of 4.5 hours or more, a restaurant or hotel-trained chef works in the galley to customize business class meals. In my experience, this is only as good as you make it. I like to ask for unique sides or extra touches like garnishes or spicy sauces, which they can often accommodate.

I like that there are different amenity kits for men and women with items like cologne or perfume and shaving sets. Another thing I like is that Saudia does not use trays for meals on longer flights. Instead, a table linen is spread out and plates and silverware are placed on the table like in a restaurant.

Another thing that I really love about Saudia is the Dine on Demand service, allowing Business Class passengers to eat at their preferred time. With flights that sometimes depart in the middle of the night, this helps reduce the effects of jet lag.

Often, I have used the online option to bid for an upgrade from economy to business. Every time I’ve placed a reasonable offer, it’s been accepted. I’ve saved thousands of dollars this way.

Economy class

Economy class on Saudia is pretty standard, with decent legroom and meal service on longer flights. One unique feature you’ll see on wide-body aircraft (Boeing 777, 787, Airbus A330) is a dedicated prayer area (musalla) in the rear, created by removing a section of Economy Class seats for Muslim passengers to use during the flight.

I recommend ordering one of the special meals that Saudia offers to guarantee your preferred choice since it is common for one meal choice to run out before serving all passengers. My preference is for the Asian Vegetarian meal, but there is also a Western Vegetarian meal.

Saudia offers a comprehensive list of special meals, explicitly including an Autistic Meal for passengers with autism, as well as Children’s meals.

SkyTeam benefits

I find that Saudia can offer competitive airfare deals within the SkyTeam alliance, making it an excellent option for racking up miles in other SkyTeam loyalty programs.

For me, I score lots of miles in Delta’s SkyMiles program when flying Saudia. Top-tier SkyTeam members also get SkyPriority perks, which means dedicated lanes for check-in and boarding, and sometimes even a faster security line.

Lounges

Saudia has some great lounges in its home airports. They have an impressive menu of hot and cold buffet food, plenty of bottled drinks and lots of space to relax. Just remember, there’s no bar service.

Because Saudia is in the SkyTeam alliance, travellers with SkyTeam Elite Plus status from any member airline can get in, even when flying economy. No status? No problem. Guests travelling in Economy Class can purchase paid access to Alfursan lounges in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Cairo. This service can be added during booking, via “Manage Booking,” or at check-in.

The AlFursan International Lounge in Jeddah’s Terminal 1 is on another level. It features shower facilities, a relaxation area with relaxation seats, a business centre, and a kids’ room with video games and an educational world map. They also have a robot serving juice, a self-playing grand piano, and a pizza oven churning out fresh pies.