Air Arabia-led Saudi carrier launches Dammam flights to three domestic cities

New carrier starts daily services to Riyadh, Jeddah and Medinah from Dammam

Last updated: September 21, 2026 | 11:32

Nivetha Dayanand, Assistant Business Editor

2 MIN READ

Air Arabia-led Saudi carrier launches Dammam flights to three domestic cities

Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s new national budget carrier, led by an Air Arabia consortium, has started operations from King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, opening with domestic flights to Riyadh, Jeddah and Medinah.

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The carrier launched its first flight from Dammam to Riyadh on September 20, marking the start of operations from its new base in the Eastern Province.

It currently operates two daily flights from Dammam to Riyadh and Jeddah, along with one daily service to Medinah.

Three domestic routes to start

The launch gives passengers in the Eastern Province a new low-cost option for travel between Dammam and three of Saudi Arabia’s main domestic destinations.

This step marks an important milestone as the new national budget carrier takes off to the skies for the first time from King Fahd International Airport. The start of operations reflects our commitment to supporting the continued development of the Kingdom’s aviation sector while expanding affordable and reliable air connectivity from the Eastern Province.

Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia

Dammam becomes the carrier’s base

King Fahd International Airport has been selected as the airline’s operating base. The General Authority of Civil Aviation selected the Air Arabia-led consortium in July 2025 following a competition to establish the new carrier.

The consortium comprises Air Arabia Group, Nesma Group and Kun Holding.

The airline received its Air Operator Certificate from GACA last week after completing the required technical and regulatory procedures, clearing it to begin operations from Dammam.

The carrier follows Air Arabia’s low-cost business model and operates Airbus A320 aircraft with 174 seats in a single-class cabin.

Its launch adds a new operator to Saudi Arabia’s domestic aviation market while establishing Dammam as the starting point for the carrier’s network.

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Nivetha DayanandAssistant Business Editor

Nivetha Dayanand is Assistant Business Editor at Gulf News, where she spends her days unpacking money, markets, aviation, and the big shifts shaping life in the Gulf. Before returning to Gulf News, she launched Finance Middle East, complete with a podcast and video series. Her reporting has taken her from breaking spot news to long-form features and high-profile interviews. Nivetha has interviewed Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed Al Saud, Indian ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and N. Chandrababu Naidu, IMF’s Jihad Azour, and a long list of CEOs, regulators, and founders who are reshaping the region’s economy. An Erasmus Mundus journalism alum, Nivetha has shared classrooms and newsrooms with journalists from more than 40 countries, which probably explains her weakness for data, context, and a good follow-up question. When she is away from her keyboard (AFK), you are most likely to find her at the gym with an Eminem playlist, bingeing One Piece, or exploring games on her PS5.

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