Saudia Set to Launch New Muscat-Riyadh Route

Last updated: 4 September 2026 12:37

2 Min Read

Saudia Airlines plan to operate a new route to Muscat © Colin Cooke

Saudia has announced that it is set to launch direct flights between Muscat and Riyadh, operating three times weekly from October 2026.

External view of King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh. The image is taken from an angle across the road, potentially from inside a vehicle on the road. The sand collared walls and pillars of the structure occupy the majority of the left side, disappearing into the distance as the structure approaches the centre. Most of the foreground depicts concrete road, while the background depicts greyish blue sky. — King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh © Kharbaan Ghaltaan

New Direct Service

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Oman has announced that approval has been granted to the Saudi national flag carrier, Saudia, to operate the new Muscat-Riyadh flight services. From Oct. 27, 2026, the services will offer direct flight connectivity between the capitals of Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Under the approved schedule, Saudia plans to operate three flights each week on the route connecting Muscat and Riyadh. The new service will increase travel options with additional direct aviation links between the two capitals, as well as further strengthen connectivity between the Gulf neighbours.

A Riyadh Air plane in flight. The aircraft is mostly white with purple branding on the tail, backend, and engine. The name of the airline is written across the front end fuselage in purple as well. The nose of the aircraft faces left and the tail faces the right. The aircraft is pictured at a small angle, making the nose marginally higher than the tail. The background is a bright blue cloudless sky. — This follows Riyadh Air’s route expansion to Pakistan © Colin Cooke

Flag Carrier Flights

Saudia is the first flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, and has a main hub located at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, with key secondary hubs at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport (MED) in Medina and King Fahd International Airport (DMM) in Dammam. The route is set to travel between Muscat International Airport (MCT) and King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh.

The route will join Saudia’s aviation portfolio, which currently operates scheduled domestic and international flights to more than 100 destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. This connectivity expansion accompanies the joint agreement between Saudia and Garuda Indonesia last month, which aims to strengthen their partnership and expand travel opportunities. Moreover, the announcement comes after Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s second flag carrier, began extending operations in Pakistan with the launch of a daily service between Riyadh and Islamabad in June of this year.

What do you think about Saudia’s introduction of a new route? Let us know in the comments below.