Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is set to strengthen its Gulf connectivity with new direct Air India Express services to Riyadh and Bahrain from October 27, 2026. Bookings for both services are now open.
The new Riyadh service will operate three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. It will add a direct connection between Thiruvananthapuram and the Saudi Arabian capital, addressing long-standing demand for easier travel between southern Kerala and Saudi Arabia. The service will complement Air India Express’ existing daily flights from Thiruvananthapuram to Dammam.
Air India Express will also operate two weekly direct flights to Bahrain on Thursdays and Saturdays. Bahrain is already connected to Thiruvananthapuram through daily Gulf Air services, and the new flights will give passengers an additional travel option.
Thiruvananthapuram currently has more than 250 weekly air traffic movements to destinations across the Gulf. The airport connects passengers to major regional hubs including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Doha, Muscat, Kuwait and Dammam.
The new services are expected to particularly benefit the large expatriate community from southern Kerala and neighbouring Tamil Nadu working and residing in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The additional flights will provide more direct travel options while strengthening the airport’s role as a gateway between South India and the Gulf region.
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is operated by TRV (Kerala) International Airport Limited (TIAL), a special purpose vehicle under Adani Airport Holdings Limited. The airport serves southern Kerala and parts of Tamil Nadu and currently has capacity to handle 4.5 million passengers and 25,000 metric tonnes of cargo annually.
A future masterplan envisages expanding the airport’s capacity to 27 million passengers annually, along with new terminal and cargo facilities. The airport also plans to incorporate renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure as part of its long-term development.
