SAUDIA Launches Inaugural Flight from Seoul to Riyadh

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has officially launched its first direct flight from the South Korean capital of Seoul to Riyadh. The new flight route comes in line with the Saudi Aviation Strategy, which aims to connect the Kingdom to the world with more than 250 destinations.

SAUDIA flight SV899 departed Seoul’s Incheon International Airport at 9:40 PM, arriving at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh early Wednesday morning. The landmark flight successfully utilized SAUDIA’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a two-class aircraft with 274 seats in guest class and 24 flat beds in business class. The establishment of the Seoul-Riyadh route demonstrates the air carrier’s commitment to offering a wide variety of flight options that boosts the Kingdom’s connectivity with the world.

“As the Wings of Vision 2030, the national carrier has the necessary capacity to continually broaden its route network and welcome a wide range of visitors into Saudi Arabia.” said Engr. Ahmed Alwassiah, acting Chief Executive Officer of SAUDIA. “To support our strategic objectives, we ensure our airline’s 144-aircraft fleet is suited with the latest in-flight innovations and plan to modernize and expand it during the next few years.”

“With this milestone route,” he added, “SAUDIA is not only connecting the Kingdom to more of the world touristically, but also helping to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and services, allowing both countries to enhance their local businesses, logistics framework, and manufacturing infrastructure. The flight schedule between the two countries will be under constant review to ensure that flights and seating capacity successfully meet operational requirements.”

SAUDIA celebrated the new route between Saudi Arabia and South Korea with a receptive ceremony in Seoul that showcased aspects of both Saudi and Korean cultures. The ceremony was attended by South Korean dignitaries, diplomats and members of the media, as well as partners from the domestic travel and tourism sectors. The landmark route is part of SAUDIA’s strategy to expand its network of more than 100 global destinations and improve the carrier’s competitive position internationally to further solidify the airline’s role in bringing the world to the Kingdom.

The milestone Seoul-Riyadh flight follows SAUDIA flight SV898 from Riyadh to Seoul. The departure flight was greeted at Incheon International Airport with the traditional water salute and attended by His Excellency Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Sami AlSadhan who welcomed the aircraft.

Before the ribbon was cut to mark the takeoff, and gifts were handed out to guests, SAUDIA’s Alfursan International Lounge held an exclusive farewell ceremony. The ceremony in Seoul was attended by His Excellency Park Joon Yong, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Saudi Arabia, and senior government officials at the airport.

About Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA)

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) is the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Established in 1945, the company has grown to become one of the Middle East’s largest airlines.

SAUDIA has invested significantly in upgrading its aircraft and currently operates one of the youngest fleet. The airline serves an extensive global route network covering around 100 destinations across four continents, including all 28 domestic airports in Saudi Arabia.

A member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO), SAUDIA has also been a member airline in SkyTeam, the second largest alliance, since 2012.

The airline is ranked as a Global Five-Star Major Airline by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) and has been awarded Diamond status by APEX Health Safety powered by SimpliFlying in recognition of its comprehensive approach to safety during the pandemic.

Most recently, SAUDIA was named the Middle East’s Fastest Growing Airline in 2022 by Brand Finance® and the World’s Most Improved Airline in 2021 by Skytrax, the second time it has received this prestigious accolade.