Saudia is making it easier than ever for North American travellers to discover Saudi Arabia, announcing an expanded codeshare partnership with Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic that significantly improves access to the Kingdom from across the United States and Canada.
The enhanced agreement gives passengers travelling on Delta, Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic seamless connections to Saudia services via the airlines’ major European hubs at Paris Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam Schiphol and London Heathrow. Together, the partners will offer convenient onward travel between North America and Saudi Arabia while also providing access to almost 30 destinations across the US and Canada.
The move comes at a pivotal moment for the Kingdom’s tourism industry. Saudi Arabia is investing hundreds of billions of dollars in tourism infrastructure and aims to welcome 150 million visitors annually by 2030, while Riyadh itself is rapidly emerging as both a global business hub and an increasingly popular leisure destination. Improved air connectivity remains one of the central pillars of the Kingdom’s National Tourism Strategy and National Aviation Strategy.
For North American travellers, the expanded partnership means simpler booking, through-checked baggage and coordinated flight schedules when travelling to Saudi Arabia for business, leisure, religious tourism or major international events.
Arved von zur Muehlen, Chief Commercial Officer at Saudia, said the agreement reinforces the airline’s ambition to connect the Kingdom more effectively with key international markets.
“This expansion reflects Saudia’s continued focus on strengthening its global network and offering our guests more seamless access to key international destinations. By enhancing our cooperation with leading transatlantic SkyTeam partners, we are able to provide greater choice, improved connectivity, and a more integrated travel experience to and from North America.”
The timing is particularly significant as Saudi Arabia continues attracting record numbers of international visitors through high-profile sporting events, cultural festivals, luxury tourism developments such as the Red Sea and AMAALA, and a growing calendar of international business conferences.
The partnership is further strengthened by Delta Air Lines’ decision to launch a new non-stop Atlanta-Riyadh service in October, creating the first direct link between Saudi Arabia and the world’s busiest airport. Combined with the expanded codeshare network, travellers from dozens of cities across North America will enjoy faster, more convenient access to the Kingdom through both direct and one-stop itineraries.
Peter Carter, President of Delta, said the combination would transform travel opportunities between the two markets.
“Delta and our partners continue to unlock more ways for our customers to explore the world. As Delta prepares to launch new nonstop service between Atlanta and Riyadh in October, the codeshare expansion between Saudia, Delta, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic offers customers unmatched connectivity from Saudi Arabia via our hubs in Paris, Amsterdam, London and onward across the U.S. Together, we’re creating world-class travel experiences for our customers, while delivering on our commitment to connect more people, businesses and communities around the globe.”
Air France-KLM also believes the agreement will stimulate growing demand between North America, Europe and Saudi Arabia.
“Saudia is a strategic partner for Air France-KLM, and we are pleased with the strong cooperation we have built together. Expanding our codeshare to North America is a step forward in our partnership, giving customers in Saudi Arabia more travel options and smoother connections to North America. Saudi Arabia is an important market for our Group, and this expansion strengthens our partnership, grows our presence in the region, and helps connect more customers from the Kingdom to destinations across the Air France-KLM network,” said Adriaan Den Heijer, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Air France-KLM.
Virgin Atlantic highlighted the growing importance of Saudi Arabia within its premium long-haul network.
“We’re delighted to deepen our relationship with our SkyTeam partner, Saudia, through this expanded codeshare agreement. By building on our close collaboration, we’re able to offer customers greater choice, seamless connectivity and an even more integrated travel experience between North America, London Heathrow, Manchester and Saudi Arabia. This enhanced codeshare builds on the strength of our transatlantic network and reflects our shared commitment to delivering a more connected, premium travel experience,” said Dave Geer, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic.
The agreement also reflects Saudi Arabia’s increasing importance within the global aviation industry. Saudia already maintains more than 26 codeshare partnerships, providing access to over 100 international destinations, while the latest expansion further supports the airline’s long-term objective of “bringing the world to the Kingdom.”
For international luxury travel advisors, the enhanced connectivity represents another important step in making Saudi Arabia easier to sell. With improved access from North America, simplified transfers through major European hubs and an expanding portfolio of luxury hotels, resorts and experiences, the Kingdom is becoming increasingly accessible to one of the world’s highest-spending outbound travel markets.
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