Find cheap SAUDIA flights

The national carrier of Saudi Arabia is a member of the SkyTeam global alliance and has a growing network of destinations served by 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. The brand is reverting 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 the airport and the interior of the planes. The newly painted planes are sure to catch your eye as they make their way to the runway. But, there are some important factors to keep in mind when flying with this Saudi airline. From onboard service to visa considerations when transiting its hub airports in the Middle East, here is everything you should know before booking a flight with Saudia.

Two hubs for one airline

While things are changing with tourism and the aviation sector in Saudi Arabia, Saudia, for now, operates two global hubs in the country. Both the capital city of Riyadh and the religious and resort tourism centre of Jeddah operate as Saudia hub airports with long-haul destinations that span the globe. This means that travellers may find themselves transiting through either city.

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.

Saudi Arabia has high hopes for growing its tourism sector, and is therefore relaxing some visa requirements. But, I have spent many overnight hours stuck in the airport because I did not have the necessary visa to exit the building and find a hotel.

Luckily, the tide is changing, and Saudia offers a transit (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 as simple as just walking out of the airport and hailing a taxi.

In Riyadh, all Saudia flights leave from terminals 3 and 4, where a multitude of shops and restaurants are available. These new terminals accommodate Saudia and its low-cost subsidiary Flyadeal.

In Jeddah, a new terminal now 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 (don't miss the opportunity to take a picture of the colourful 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 areas on its Boeing 777 aircraft, the most premium travel class the airline offers. Aside from not having any pricey bottles of alcohol, travellers can expect all the other bells and whistles. This includes pajamas on long flights, snazzy amenity kits, and onboard chefs that put together meals according to passengers’ tastes.

I like how the suites are very private and have plenty of storage space. The Wi-Fi does not always work as expected (it’s not free in any case), and I wish there were more international selections on the entertainment system. The caviar, warm soup, and plenty of Arabic meal options are, however, highly enjoyable.

What I find surprising is how many seats Saudia has in first class, compared to other airlines, with as many as two dozen seats in a 2-2-2 layout. This is not the norm for first class, and it means that service is not as attentive as it should be at that price point. Travellers may prefer to find a flight on the Boeing B777-300 planes that have 12 seats in a 1-2-1 layout. These are typically used on the longest flights.

Business class

The seats in business class vary widely depending on the plane. The best experience is on Saudia’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft (and a handful of B777 planes) because they are in a 1-2-1 setup rather than a 2-2-2 or dreadful 2-3-2 layout. That’s right: there are middle seats in business class! Avoid the B777-200s for this very reason.

Plans are in place to upgrade business class seats on all aircraft to a private suite in a more customer-friendly layout. On narrow-body flights, the business class seats are more like spacious recliners although the newer Airbus A320 and 321 planes have flat-beds in business class, which I find to be rare and impressive.

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 including smoothies, juices, and mocktails. This is an area of improvement, although the date smoothie is something I still dream of having again.

A few points of differentiation include being offered dates and Arabic coffee during the boarding process, and on flights of at least 4.5 hours, a restaurant or hotel-trained chef works in the galley to customise the meals served in business class. Make sure to make the most of this service. I like to ask for unique side dishes 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 option to dine on demand rather than eating on a set schedule decided by the crew. 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 class if there is availability. Every time I placed an offer, I received the upgrade. I have saved thousands of dollars this way.

Economy class

Saudia has a standard economy class offering providing decent legroom and hot meals on most flights. One thing that you will notice when you walk to the back of the aircraft is that Saudia has removed several rows of seats and blocked them off with curtains. This is a prayer area that is used by Muslim passengers during flights.

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. There is also a special meal on offer for travellers with autism and another for children.

Lounges

Saudia has some great lounges in its home airports as well as other countries. They have an impressive menu of hot and cold buffet fare, lots of bottled water, juice and soft drinks, and plenty of places to sit or relax. But, bear in mind that there is no bar service.

Since Saudia is part of the SkyTeam alliance, passengers with SkyTeam Elite Plus status in any member airline’s programme can enjoy access to these lounges even when flying in economy class. A good tip for those without elite status is that you can pay for access on a per-person basis.

Jeddah’s new airport terminal features a swanky new lounge for Saudia that even has a robot serving bottled juice and water and a grand piano, from which passengers are serenaded as they enter. Among the food options is a pizza oven producing hot and fresh cheesy treats. Shower and nap rooms are also available.

SkyTeam benefits

In addition to lounge access for elite status members, I find that Saudia offers some great airfare options for SkyTeam flyers. The business class airfare is often much cheaper than other member carriers, and it is a great way to rack up miles in other SkyTeam loyalty programmes.

For me, I score lots of miles in Delta’s SkyMiles programme when flying Saudia. Other benefits for top SkyTeam members include SkyPriority, which is a dedicated lane for priority check-in and boarding (and sometimes, an expedited security lane).