In the 78 years since Saudi Arabia launched its flag carrier, Saudia, with a plane gifted by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the airline has served largely as a means of ferrying the faithful to Mecca while adhering to the country’s strict social rules. No alcohol is served. Women must wear clothing that covers their legs. Cabin crew can separate women from men who aren’t family. And some planes have a prayer nook with a screen indicating the direction to Mecca as it changes during the flight.
Saudia stands in sharp contrast to regional rivals that have redefined luxury travel with showers, in-flight butlers and bars where premium-class passengers can recline on a sofa, tumbler of Glenfiddich in hand. Emirates, Qatar Airways and more recently Turkish Airlines have built megahubs for travelers between Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. And their home bases have increasingly become destinations rather than mere transfer points, with beaches, amusement parks, high-end shopping and sumptuous hotels within easy reach of the arrival gate.
To get in on the action, Saudi Arabia is adding a second carrier, Riyadh Air, aiming to triple arrivals into the kingdom and siphon business and tourists from competitors. While the plan is short on details, the carrier aims to start flying in 2025, with planes bathed in blue and lavender. The company declines to say whether alcohol will be available on its aircraft, noting only that it will operate within Saudi law. Saudia will continue to focus on religious pilgrims on Hajj and Umrah.
Riyadh Air plans to reach 100 destinations by 2030, connecting passengers through King Salman International Airport, a sprawling new facility rising in the desert near the capital that’s designed to handle 120 million passengers a year by the end of the decade—30% more than Dubai’s current capacity. The goal is to tempt them to stay for business meetings or jaunts to the country’s monuments, mountains and beaches.
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