Thursday, August 29, 2024 Flynas, the world’s leading low-cost airline and the top LCC in the Middle East, is set to significantly expand its presence in the UAE market with the launch of several new direct routes between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, starting September 1. This move will solidify flynas as the largest air carrier serving the four main UAE airports, further extending its network across the region. Starting next month, flynas will introduce flights from Saudi Arabia’s major cities—Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Madinah—to new destinations in the UAE, including Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) in Dubai, Shaikh Zayed International Airport (AUH) in Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah International Airport (SHJ).
This expansion will bring the total number of daily flights between the two countries to over 20, making flynas the only Saudi airline to serve all four major airports in the UAE. On September 1, flynas will kick off its new services with flights from King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) in Dubai, and from King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) in Jeddah to both Shaikh Zayed International Airport (AUH) in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah International Airport (SHJ). The following day, additional routes will be launched from Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport (MED) in Madinah to both Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
This rapid expansion is part of flynas’ broader growth strategy, which is closely aligned with Saudi Arabia’s National Civil Aviation Strategy. The plan aims to connect the Kingdom to 250 international destinations, accommodate 330 million passengers annually, and host 150 million tourists by 2030. It also supports the Pilgrims Experience Program (PEP), which aims to streamline access to the Two Holy Mosques.
In July, flynas made headlines by signing an agreement to purchase 160 new Airbus aircraft, including 30 wide-body planes, increasing its total aircraft orders to 280. This massive order reflects flynas’ commitment to scaling up its operations in line with the growth of Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector, bolstered by the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030 initiative. Flynas currently operates over 1,500 weekly flights across more than 70 domestic and international destinations.
Since its launch in 2007, the airline has flown more than 80 million passengers, and with these new routes, it aims to expand its reach to 165 destinations worldwide. As flynas continues to grow, its latest expansion into the UAE market marks a significant milestone in its mission to connect the world to Saudi Arabia, reinforcing its position among the top four low-cost airlines globally..
