Spike in weekly flights between UAE and Saudi Arabia during Ramadan

Dubai: Air travel from UAE to Saudi Arabia spiked by 13 per cent in March on higher demand seen in the Hajj season during Ramadan.

Weekly flights increased from 338 to 383 in March from the UAE to the Kingdom. The flydubai flights operated in Abha, Jazan, Neom, AlUla, Qaisumah, Riyadh, Dammam, Qassim, Jeddah, Taif and Tabuk.

Travel to Saudi Arabia tends to rise during Hajj, the GCCA (General Civil Aviation Authority) revealed, with flydubai increasing its service to the Kingdom by 40 per cent, from 93 weekly trips in February, to 130 in March, state news agency WAM reported.

Etihad Airways increased its operations as well, transporting around 45,000 people to the Kingdom during Ramadan.

The airline now operates a total of 77 weekly flights, with 28 trips each to Jeddah and Riyadh, and 21 to Dammam.

Emirates operated 67 weekly flights to Riyadh, Jeddah, Medina, and Dammam. Low-cost airline Wizz Air Abu Dhabi operated 21 weekly flights to Medina and Dammam in March.

Similarly, Air Arabia operated around 88 weekly services to destinations like Abha, Al-Jowf and Dammam in March.