Saudi Arabian Airlines
Saudi Arabia · SAUDIA · Active
Airline Identity
History
Saudia traces its roots to September 1945, when Saudi Arabian Airlines was established as a government aviation agency shortly after U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave King Abdulaziz a Douglas DC-3, with Trans World Airlines (TWA) contracted to manage early operations and train Saudi personnel. The carrier rebranded as Saudia in 1972, reverted briefly to Saudi Arabian Airlines in 1996, and readopted the Saudia name in 2012 as part of a broader corporate overhaul tied to Saudi Arabia's aviation reform efforts. That same year, on 29 May 2012, Saudia became the first Middle Eastern carrier to join the SkyTeam alliance. Remaining wholly owned by the Saudi government through Saudia Group, the airline has expanded steadily to support Vision 2030 tourism and connectivity goals, including major fleet renewal and network growth. Its national role is now evolving alongside the newly launched Riyadh Air, a separate Saudi state carrier intended to become a premium long-haul sibling, with Saudia's Riyadh hub operations expected to shift accordingly by around 2030.
Current Operations
Saudia operates a mixed widebody and narrowbody fleet including Airbus A320 and A330 family aircraft alongside Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliners, serving roughly 148 destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America as of late 2025. Its network radiates from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, with substantial hub operations also at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and a strong presence at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina supporting the large volume of Hajj and Umrah pilgrim traffic. As a SkyTeam member, Saudia offers extensive codeshare and connectivity options with global partner airlines. The carrier has announced plans to significantly expand its fleet toward roughly 250 aircraft by 2030, part of a wider national push to more than double Saudi Arabia's air transport capacity ahead of major international events including the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Last verified 2026-08-22· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.