Saudia, Riyadh Air ink landmark deal to boost kingdom’s aviation ecosystem

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Saudi Arabia’s main carriers Saudia and Riyadh Air have inked a strategic cooperation MoU as part of a comprehensive agreement to include codeshare flights.

The MOU, the first major agreement between the two airlines, will set the tone for the future of Saudi Arabia’s aviation ecosystem.

The partnership will offer many benefits for passengers travelling internationally and domestically within Saudia Arabia, including a broader range of destinations and services.

Passengers of the airlines can leverage their networks through a comprehensive interline and codeshare agreement, which will enable passengers to connect between destinations operated by either airline.

This means members of each carrier’s loyalty programme will be able to earn points or credits when traveling on codeshare services operated by the other. This will be followed by a wider loyalty agreement in which guests can accrue or redeem points and receive elite-level benefits across both carrier’s global networks.

Saudia and Riyadh Air to leverage strengths

The strategic cooperation commits Saudia and Riyadh Air, as national carriers of the kingdom, to working together and implementing broader synergies and efficiencies across the value chain in areas such as commercial, digital development, aviation support services and cargo/logistics

Saudia CEO, Capt Ibrahim Koshy commented, “This is a historic moment in where we join forces to serve guests travelling from and to the kingdom. Saudia and Riyadh Air will positively disrupt the industry as a whole and so we are proud to sign this MoU that signifies our partnership intent.”

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Riyadh Air CEO, Tony Douglas, said, “Riyadh Air and Saudia will play a significant part in the growth of travel tourism within the kingdom and so having the national carriers working side-by-side is the best way to accelerate and manage this growth.”

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Details of benefits for guests booking flights on either airline will be released when Riyadh Air commences operations in 2025.