Qatar Airways announce the expansion of its operations into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the resumption of services to Abha, operating two weekly flights to Abha International Airport, effective 2 January 2025.
In addition, the national carrier will also increase its flights to NEOM from two to four weekly flights during the winter season.
Abha, renowned for its landscapes and cultural heritage, marks Qatar Airways’ 11th destination in Saudi Arabia. This addition complements the airline’s existing service to cities of AlUla, Dammam, Jeddah, Medina, NEOM, Qassim, Riyadh, Tabuk, Taif, and Yanbu.
Moreover, passengers travelling to NEOM will embark on a unique living experience in the ‘land of dreams’ as they will live and work in harmony with nature.
Qatar Airways currently operates two weekly flights, which will be increased to four weekly flights starting this winter.
Commenting on the changes, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer says that with more than 140 weekly flights to the Kingdom, Qatar Airways reaffirms its commitment to enhancing connectivity within the region and is proud to resume flights.
“This resumption is a testament to our unwavering commitment to connecting our passengers to the Kingdom’s highly coveted destinations. We look forward to welcoming both business and leisure travellers to experience the unparalleled service and connectivity that Qatar Airways offers through our Doha hub, Hamad International Airport,” says Al-Meer.
Commenting on the development Saudi Air Connectivity Program CEO Majid Khan agrees.
“We are thrilled that [Qatar] will resume direct scheduled flights to Saudi Arabia’s beautiful Aseer region and the city of Abha, as well as increase frequencies to NEOM, a futuristic city unlike any other in the Red Sea coast of northwest. Through Qatar Airways’ large network, tourists from 170 destinations globally will fly to Abha and NEOM from the airline’s Doha hub. The resumption of this route supports our tourism strategy to bring Saudi Arabia’s untouched tourism potential closer to the world,” says Khan.
According to Khan, passengers travelling from Abha will soon be able to seamlessly connect to Dubai, Manila, and Sharjah. Additionally, travellers can enjoy facilities at Hamad International Airport, recently voted as the ‘World’s Best Airport’ and the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ by Skytrax.
This resumption of flights is part of KSA’s Air Connectivity Program within its National Tourism and Aviation Strategy. It aims to drive tourism growth by developing and expanding air routes between Saudi Arabia and international destinations. The ACP fosters collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders in the tourism and aviation industries, with the aim to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as a premier global tourist destination for air travel.
