Planning
Flights to Saudi Arabia
Choosing the right arrival airport can save a full day. Here is how the country connects.
Updated · by Daniel
The main airports
- Riyadh (RUH)
- King Khalid International. Capital, Diriyah, Edge of the World
- Jeddah (JED)
- King Abdulaziz International. Red Sea coast, Al-Balad
- AlUla (ULH)
- Small airport 30–60 minutes from resorts; mostly domestic flights
- Red Sea (RSI)
- Serves the Red Sea Global resorts
How to route a first trip
The most efficient first trip is an open jaw: fly into Riyadh and home from Jeddah (or the reverse), with a domestic hop to AlUla in the middle. You never backtrack, and the domestic flights are short.
Saudia, flynas and flyadeal connect Riyadh, Jeddah and AlUla, with more frequencies in winter. Book the AlUla leg early: there are fewer flights and fares climb as they fill.
Compare fares across airlines
Search international and domestic routes together, including open-jaw trips.
Prefer flexible routing across carriers? Kiwi.com to Riyadh Kiwi.com to Jeddah
Flight delayed by three hours or more? You may be owed compensation. Check your flight with AirHelp
Which airport?
- Riyadh (RUH)
- The capital, Diriyah and Edge of the World. Most long-haul routes
- Jeddah (JED)
- Al-Balad, the Red Sea coast and diving. Big international hub
- AlUla (ULH)
- Hegra and AlUla. Mostly domestic, with seasonal international flights
- Red Sea International (RSI)
- For Red Sea Global resorts. Limited routes; check with your resort
How to pay less
- Fly open-jaw: into Riyadh, out of Jeddah (or the reverse). Pair it with a one-way domestic flight to AlUla and you avoid backtracking.
- Domestic flights are good value: Saudia, flynas and flyadeal link Riyadh, Jeddah and AlUla several times a week. Budget airlines charge extra for bags, so compare the final price.
- Avoid Ramadan-end and school holidays if you can. Fares spike around Eid and in the UK half-term and Christmas weeks.
- Consider a stopover: Saudia and flynas offer a stopover visa on eligible tickets, useful if Saudi is on the way somewhere else.
- Set price alerts 2–4 months ahead for winter trips (October to March).
If your flight goes wrong
Long delays and cancellations on UK/EU-covered flights can mean up to €600 compensation per passenger.
Questions travellers ask
Is it better to fly into Riyadh or Jeddah?
Riyadh if you want the capital, Diriyah and Edge of the World. Jeddah for the coast and Red Sea. For both, book an open-jaw ticket.
Are there international flights to AlUla?
A few seasonal routes, but most visitors connect through Riyadh or Jeddah.
How long is the flight from London to Saudi Arabia?
Direct flights from London to Riyadh or Jeddah take roughly six to six and a half hours.
Are there direct flights to AlUla from Europe?
Only occasionally and seasonally. Most visitors connect through Riyadh or Jeddah, a flight of about 1.5 hours.
