Saudia and Air India have signed a codeshare agreement, effective February, to strengthen air connectivity between India and Saudi Arabia. The partnership aims to provide passengers with more travel options, smoother connections, and greater network access to meet growing demand for tourism and business travel.
The agreement allows passengers of both airlines to benefit from single-ticket bookings, coordinated flight schedules, and baggage checked through to the final destination, making travel across the two networks more convenient.
Saudia passengers will be able to connect to major Indian cities via Mumbai and Delhi, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Lucknow, and Jaipur, along with more than 15 other destinations through interline connections.
Air India passengers flying to Jeddah or Riyadh will have access to onward Saudia flights to cities such as Dammam, Abha, Gassim, Gizan, Madinah, and Taif. Codeshare flights on the Jeddah–Riyadh route will also give travellers the flexibility to arrive in one city and depart from another. Additional international destinations are expected to be added later this year.
H.E. Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, said the codeshare marks a strategic step forward, reflecting both airlines’ commitment to expanding connectivity and offering passengers broader access to destinations with simplified travel procedures. He added that Saudia has served Indian passengers for over 60 years and that visiting Saudi Arabia has become easier with e-visas, stopover visas, and visa-on-arrival for eligible Indians.
Campbell Wilson, CEO and MD of Air India, noted that Saudi Arabia is a key market in the Middle East and a growing international gateway. He said the partnership will provide greater access for the Indian diaspora and showcase Saudi Arabia’s evolving tourism offerings to travellers from India.
Since its privatisation in 2022, Air India has expanded its global partnerships, now holding 24 codeshare agreements and nearly 100 interline partnerships, giving passengers access to over 800 destinations worldwide through partner networks.
