The nation's national carrier, Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), has launched a big growth strategy and an increased fleet as it strives to expand globally and improve connectivity to the Kingdom, with the goal of making Saudi Arabia one of the most visited places in the world.
As the nation prepares for the 2025 debut of Riyadh Air, the nation's second carrier, Saudi Arabia's original airline has its own aspirations to dominate the sky.
According to Brand Finance's Top 50 airlines yearly report, Saudia's brand value increased by 22.5 percent, making it worth $797.4 million in 2024. This makes Saudia the sixth fastest-growing airline brand in the world.
The Saudia Group's Chief Marketing Officer, Khaled Tash, credits this achievement to a strategy that includes rebranding, fleet modernization, network growth, and improvements to the customer experience.
"A multifaceted approach can be attributed to Saudia's success," Tash stated in an Al Arabiya English interview.
First and foremost, our growing fleet of aircraft and route network has proven essential. We expanded our network to include 11 local and international destinations in 2023, and we ordered 49 Boeing 787 Dreamliners to further solidify Saudia's standing as a top airline and make travel easier for our guests.
Saudi Arabia has set its eyes on lofty growth objectives for the future. In order to achieve the goals set forth in the Saudi Aviation Strategy, the airline plans to transport 330 million passengers by 2030 and establish itself as a leader in the world of aviation.
Tash says, "The core of our strategy is expansion and growth." "By 2030, we hope to operate a fleet of 241 aircraft and reach over 145 destinations worldwide." We are pleased to report that we currently operate a fleet of 143 aircraft, serving over 100 locations, and we are on schedule to meet our goals.
A memorandum of understanding was signed in September of last year between Saudia and daa International, the operator of Red Sea International (RSI) airport, by Red Sea Global (RSG), the multi-project developer behind the world's most ambitious regenerative tourism destinations, The Red Sea and Amaala. Saudia will be the first airline to operate from RSI.
Riyadh Air will be enhanced by Saudia. Part of Saudi Arabia's strategy to diversify its economy in the midst of a major push for tourism, with new projects like the Red Sea project and NEOM taking shape around the Kingdom, includes the establishment of a second national airline in addition to Saudia.
Saudi Arabia's growth strategies prioritize both promoting economic development within the Kingdom and broadening its influence.
The nation plans to devote over $800 billion to the tourism industry over the course of the next ten years in an effort to usher in a post-oil age and position the Kingdom as a major hub for a range of industries, including mining and athletic events.
100 million tourists visited Saudi Arabia in 2023, the majority of them were residents. There were around 27 million foreign tourists, some of whom came for business or religious reasons. The target is to draw 150 million visitors a year by 2030, of which about 70 million are from outside the country.
In line with the nation's Vision 2030 objectives for economic diversification, Saudia hopes to promote global trade, investment, and business alliances by offering dependable aviation services.
Saudia's business strategy is centered on a constant focus on improving the customer experience.
"With AI-powered technologies and integrated connectivity solutions, we've started implementing an unprecedented digital strategy, tailored to enhance the travel experience for all guests," Tash says. "This translates into improved cabin amenities, upgraded in-flight entertainment systems, and expedited booking procedures for a more engaging Al Fursan, our loyalty program."
In addition to introducing new tailored services, the airline wants to provide its in-flight entertainment systems with over 5,000 hours of HD content.
In order to meet the discriminating needs of its premium passengers, Saudia is also adding additional business-class seats and upgrading the quality of the cabin on its older aircraft.
