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Saudia
السعودية
A Saudia Boeing 787-10
Founded	27 September 1945; 79 years ago (1945-09-27)
Hubs	Jeddah Riyadh
Focus cities	Medina
Frequent-flyer program	Al-Fursan Loyalty
Alliance	SkyTeam
Subsidiaries	Flyadeal Saudia Cargo
Fleet size	159
Destinations	140
Parent company	Saudia Group Government of Saudi Arabia
Headquarters	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Key people	Engr. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser (Chairman) Engr. Ibrahim bin Abdulrahaman Al-Omar (Director General)

Saudia (Arabic: السعودية, romanized: as-Suʿūdiyyah), which used to be called Saudi Arabian Airlines, is the official airline of Saudi Arabia. An official airline like this is often called a flag carrier. The airline is based in the city of Jeddah.

The airline's main airports, or hubs, are King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Saudia flies to over 100 places in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. It also operates special charter flights, which are flights that are not on a regular schedule, during the holy times of Ramadan and the Hajj pilgrimage.

In 2012, Saudia joined SkyTeam, a group of airlines that work together. This made it the first airline from the Persian Gulf area to join a major airline group. Saudia is also one of the founding members of the Arab Air Carriers' Organization.

History
Awards
Sponsorships
Destinations
- Codeshare Agreements
Fleet
- Current Aircraft
- Past Aircraft
In-Flight Services
Incidents and Accidents
See also

History

How It All Began

A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 707 in 1969

The story of Saudia began in 1945. U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave a Douglas DC-3 airplane as a gift to King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia. This gift helped start the country's own airline.

In September 1945, Saudi Arabian Airlines was created. It was owned by the government and was run with help from an American airline called Trans World Airlines (TWA).

One of its first important jobs was to fly pilgrims to Jeddah for the Hajj. In March 1947, the airline started its first regular flights inside Saudi Arabia. Soon after, it began flying to other countries like Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria.

Growing and Changing

A Saudi Arabian Airlines Lockheed L-1011 TriStar in 1987

In 1962, the airline got its first jet airplanes, two Boeing 720s. This was a big step forward. The next year, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia signed papers that made the airline a fully independent company. It bought more modern planes like the Boeing 707 and started flying to many new cities, including London, Geneva, and Mumbai.

In the 1970s, the airline got a new look. Its planes were painted white with green and blue stripes. On April 1, 1972, its name was changed to Saudia. It also started flying bigger planes like the Boeing 747 jumbo jet. A special unit was created to fly the Saudi royal family and government officials.

During the 1980s, Saudia grew even more. It started flying to cities all over the world, like New York City, Bangkok, and Nairobi. It also created a business class called Horizon Class for passengers who wanted extra comfort. In 1982, it started its first non-stop flight from Jeddah to New York City.

A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747SP in 1989

In the 1990s, the airline added more destinations, including Washington, D.C., and Johannesburg. It also got new planes like the Boeing 777. In 1996, the airline changed its look again. The planes were painted a sandy color with a dark blue tail. The name was changed back to the full Saudi Arabian Airlines.

Modern Times

A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 737-200 in 1995

In the 2000s, the Saudi government decided to make the airline more like a private business. This meant that parts of the airline, like food catering and maintenance, were turned into separate companies.

On May 29, 2012, the airline changed its name back to Saudia. This was to celebrate joining the SkyTeam airline alliance. By the end of that year, Saudia had received 64 new airplanes from Airbus and Boeing.

In 2016, Saudia started a new airline called Flyadeal. Flyadeal is a low-cost carrier, which means it offers cheaper tickets with fewer extras. This was part of a plan to make the Saudia Group a world-class company.

Recent Growth and New Look

A Saudia Boeing 787-9 with a special 75th Anniversary design at an airport in Beijing.

In the 2020s, Saudia continued to grow. It added new flights to cities like Seoul, Barcelona, and Bangkok. In March 2023, the airline ordered 39 new Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes, showing it plans to keep expanding. By 2030, Saudia hopes to fly to 250 different places.

In September 2023, Saudia surprised many people by changing its look again. It went back to the green and blue design it used in the 1970s. It also introduced a new AI travel helper named "SAUDIA" to help passengers.

Awards

Saudia was named the World's Most Improved Airline in 2017 and 2020 by Skytrax, an organization that rates airlines.

Sponsorships

A 1978 Williams FW06 race car with Saudia's logo at a car festival in 2009.

Saudia has sponsored many sports teams and events. From 1977 to 1984, it was the main sponsor of the Williams Formula One racing team. During that time, the team won two world championships.

More recently, Saudia became the official airline of Formula E, an electric car racing series. One of its planes was painted with a special design to celebrate this. The airline has also partnered with famous soccer and racing teams, including Newcastle United and the Aston Martin F1 Team.

Destinations

King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudia's main hub.

As of October 2022, Saudia flies to 102 destinations. The airline has a goal to fly to 250 destinations by the year 2030.

Codeshare Agreements

Saudia has codeshare agreements with many other airlines. This means that Saudia can sell tickets for flights operated by these partner airlines, making it easier for passengers to travel to more places. Its partners include members of the SkyTeam alliance and other airlines.

Fleet

Current Aircraft

Saudia Airbus A320-200

Saudia Airbus A330-300 in a special Saudi National Day design.

As of August 2025, Saudia operates a modern fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft. The airline is always updating its fleet to provide a better experience for passengers.

Saudia fleet
Aircraft	In service	Orders	Passengers				Notes
Aircraft	In service	Orders	F	J	Y	Total	Notes
Airbus A320-200	37	—	—	12	132	144
Airbus A320-200	37	—	—	20	90	110
Airbus A321-200	15	—	—	20	145	165
Airbus A321neo	12	62	—	20	168	188	Order with 35 options.
Airbus A321XLR	—	15	TBA				Order with 35 options.
Airbus A330-300	32	—	—	36	262	298	1 leased from Wamos Air.
				36	252	288
				30	300	330
Boeing 777-200ER	2	—	—	6	394	400	Leased from Air Atlanta Europe.
Boeing 777-300ER	37	—	12	36	242	290	2 in VIP configuration, 2 leased from Air Atlanta Europe.
			—	30	351	381
				30	383	413
				12	393	405
				14	478	492
Boeing 787-9	13	18	—	24	274	298	Order with 10 options.
Boeing 787-10	8	21	—	24	333	357	Order with 10 options.
Total	156	116

Past Aircraft

A Saudia Convair 340 airplane in 1959.

Over the years, Saudia has flown many different types of aircraft. Some of these are now retired and can be seen in museums.

Fleet history
Aircraft	Total	Introduced	Retired	Notes
Airbus A300-600	11	1984	2008	Launch customer.
Airbus A330-300	1	2017	2023	HZ-AQ30 was destroyed during a conflict in Sudan in 2023.
Boeing 707-320	Unknown	1969	1997
Boeing 720	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Boeing 727-100	1	1976	2000s	Operated for Saudi Arabian Royal Flight.
Boeing 727-200	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Boeing 737-200	26	1972	2007
Boeing 747-100	19	1981	2010
Boeing 747-100B	7	1979	2012
Boeing 747-100B	1	1979	1996	One plane crashed in 1996.
Boeing 747-200F	7	1981	2012
Boeing 747-300	19	1983	2013	Eighth aircraft stored. First aircraft used as VIP/Government transport.
Boeing 747-300SF	1	2014	2015
Boeing 747-8F	2	2013	2021	Sub-leased to other operators.
Boeing 747SP	2	1981	1992
Boeing 757-200	10	2008	2011	All fleets were leased.
Boeing 767-200ER	5	2003	2012
Boeing 767-300ER	6	2012	2012
Boeing 777-200ER	23	1997	2019
Convair 340	Unknown	1960s	1970s
Embraer ERJ-170	15	2005	2016	All aircraft stored.
Fokker F28	2	1980	1986
Lockheed L-1011-200	17	1975	1998	HZ-AHP is currently preserved at Riyadh Aviation Museum.
Lockheed L-1011-200	1	1975	1980	One plane was destroyed in a fire in 1980.
Lockheed L-1011-500	2	1970s	Unknown	Operated for Saudi Arabian Royal Flight.
McDonnell Douglas DC-8 series	37	1977	1998
McDonnell Douglas DC-10	1	1975	1990s
McDonnell Douglas MD-11	2	1998	2013	Operated for Saudi Arabian Royal Flight.
McDonnell Douglas MD-11F	4	1998	2014	All aircraft stored.
McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30	29	1998	2013	Two aircraft stored.

In-Flight Services

Saudia has its own magazine for passengers called Ahlan Wasahlan, which means "Hello and Welcome" in Arabic. Because Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country, the airline does not serve any pork or alcoholic drinks.

Many of Saudia's newer planes have Wi-Fi and mobile phone service. Most of their aircraft also have special prayer areas for passengers. Before the plane takes off, a recorded prayer is played.

Incidents and Accidents

Like all major airlines, Saudia has had some accidents in its long history. The airline works hard to make flying as safe as possible.

On August 19, 1980, Saudia Flight 163, a Lockheed L-1011, caught fire after taking off from Riyadh. The plane returned to the airport, but sadly, all 301 people on board died because of a delay in getting them off the plane.
On December 22, 1980, a part of the cabin on Saudia Flight 162 broke open during a flight. Two passengers were pulled out of the hole.
On November 12, 1996, Saudia Flight 763, a Boeing 747, was in a mid-air collision with another plane over India. All 312 people on the Saudia flight and 37 people on the other plane died. This is the deadliest mid-air collision in history.
On October 14, 2000, Saudia Flight 115 was hijacked by two men. They forced the plane to fly to Baghdad, Iraq. All passengers and crew were released safely.
On May 21, 2018, a plane flying for Saudia had to make an emergency landing in Jeddah because its front landing gear would not come down. No one was injured.
On April 15, 2023, a Saudia Airbus A330 was destroyed on the ground at an airport in Sudan during a conflict there. All the crew members escaped safely.