The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East. Whilst it is predominantly known for religious reasons, Saudi Arabia is becoming a popular tourist destination. It’s home to pristine dive spots, incredible natural beauty, and striking rock formations.
The kingdom is the birthplace of Islam and receives over three million pilgrims annually for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage.
The most efficient way to travel within Saudi Arabia is with domestic flights. The country is very well connected by air, with a total of 30 airports across the kingdom. We’ll share which airlines fly domestically in Saudi Arabia, the benefits of air travel over other transport methods, and which airports offer the most domestic routes.
To search for domestic flights in Saudi Arabia, simply use our search form at the top of the page.
With a total area of 2.15 million km², Saudi Arabia is the 13th largest country in the world. Distances between cities are vast, and travelling via land is often time consuming. For instance, driving between the cities of Jeddah and Riyadh takes approximately 10 hours, whilst a domestic flight takes roughly 1 hour 45 minutes.
Saudi Arabia is a very hot and dry country. During the summer, extreme temperatures are the norm. Most of the country sees 40 degrees Celsius, or even higher, in the daytime. Because of this, bus and train journeys can be uncomfortable, especially if they lack air conditioning. Taking a domestic flight in Saudi Arabia is the most comfortable way to travel and avoid the harsh temperatures.
If you’d like to access one of Saudi Arabia’s more remote destinations, such as the stunning rock formations of Al Ula, a domestic flight can whisk you there with ease. Public transportation is still developing in Saudi Arabia. Its train and bus network does not connect many small towns and cities.
Based at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Flyadeal is one of the leading low-cost domestic airlines in Saudi Arabia. With a fleet of 32 aircraft, Flyadeal offers flights to 27 destinations. International routes include Dubai, Amman, Istanbul, Cairo, and Sarajevo.
Domestic destinations: Abha, Al Baha, Bisha, Dammam, Hail, Hofuf, Jizan, Jeddah, Medina, Najran, Neom, Qassim, Riyadh, Tabuk, & Taif.
The baggage policy with Flyadeal depends on your fare type:
With over 1,500 flights per week to 70 domestic and international destinations, Flynas is the largest Saudi Arabian domestic airline. Its hubs are King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
Domestic destinations: Abha, Al Baha, Al Jouf, Al Ula, Dammam, Hail, Jizan, Jeddah, Medina, Najran, Qassim, Riyadh, Tabuk, Taif, & Yanbu.
The domestic baggage allowance with Flynas differs depending on your fare type:
With hubs in both Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudia is the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia. The airline operates flights to over 90 destinations across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Saudia is a member of the SkyTeam alliance and offers an extensive route network within Saudi Arabia.
Domestic destinations: Abha, Ad Dawadmi, Al Ahsa, Al Bahah, AlUla, Arar, Bisha, Dammam, Gurayat, Hail, Jizan, Jeddah, Jouf, Medina, Najran, Neom, Qaisumah, Qassim, Rafha, Red Sea, Riyadh, Sharurah, Tabuk, Taif, Turaif, Wadi Al Dawaser, & Yanbu.
Saudia’s domestic baggage policy is as follows:
With its first commercial flight set to take to the skies in 2025, Riyadh Air will be the second flag carrier of Saudi Arabia alongside Saudia. Riyadh Air’s primary hub will be at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
The airline will operate international and domestic flights to over 100 destinations across six continents with a fleet of 39 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
King Abdulaziz International Airport, colloquially known as Jeddah Airport, is the busiest airport in Saudi Arabia. It serves as the primary hub for Saudia and as an operating base for low-cost carriers Flyadeal and Flynas. We recommend Jeddah Airport if you’re visiting Jeddah or Mecca - there is even a dedicated Hajj terminal for pilgrims.
King Khalid International Airport (or KKIA) was opened in 1983 and serves the Saudi Arabian capital city of Riyadh. KKIA is the second-largest airport in the world, and is the hub for Saudia, Flynas, and Flyadeal. There are five passenger terminals, one of which (Terminal 5) is dedicated to domestic flights.
At a staggering 776 square kilometres, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam is the largest airport in the world. In fact, it’s larger than the neighbouring country of Bahrain! A total of 37 airlines operate flights from King Fahd Airport, and it serves as a hub to Flynas and Flyadeal. There are plenty of domestic Saudi Arabian flights from Dammam.
Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Airport (or Medina Airport) serves the holy city of Medina and primarily handles domestic flights within Saudi Arabia. The airport also handles charter international flights during the Hajj and Umrah. It is the fourth busiest airport in Saudi Arabia and a focus city for Saudia.
It couldn’t be easier to book domestic flights in Saudi Arabia with Alternative Airlines. We offer 40+ payment methods, including the Saudi Arabian Riyal.
You can also pay using cryptocurrencies, or choose Buy Now, Pay Later plans, including Tabby, to spread the cost of your flights.
Use our search form at the top of the page and start your search for flights to Saudi Arabia.
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You can buy flights within Saudi Arabia through Alternative Airlines. Search for domestic flights in Saudi Arabia by using our search form at the top of the page. Simply choose between any two destinations in Saudi Arabia and select 'search flights'.
Many Saudi Arabian airlines do not permit alcohol on-board. The flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, Saudia, is a completely dry airline. Please be considerate to others and respect the rules and regulations according to each airline.
Find out more through our guide on alcohol rules on Saudi Arabian flights.
If you are travelling within Saudi Arabia, you need to present a photo identification (Iqama) at the security points. However, if you're travelling outside of Saudi Arabia or you are a foreign national, you will need to present your passport.
You can book last minute flights to Saudi Arabia right here at Alternative Airlines. We've even created a handy how-to guide showing you how to search for and book last minute flights to Saudi Arabia.
When you book your flights through Alternative Airlines, you can pay in over 140 currencies, including the Saudi Arabian Riyal (SAR).
Absolutely! NEOM is the new region in Saudi Arabia where The Line mega-city project is currently being built (and estimated to be complete by 2025). You can book your flights to NEOM with Alternative Airlines - just fill out our search form at the top of the page and we'll show you all available flights to NEOM based on your search.
Book Jeddah to Riyadh flights here at Alternative Airlines - it's super easy! The average flight time between Jeddah and Riyadh ranges from 1 hour 30 minutes to just under 2 hours. There are plenty of flights from Jeddah to Riyadh operating throughout the day, meaning there'll mostly be a flight that best suits your travel needs.
