Air travel between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia is experiencing a significant upswing, primarily driven by the growing demand from individuals seeking to undertake Umrah rituals during the sacred month of Ramadan, particularly peaking in the last ten days of this holy period.
New statistics from the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) show that flights between the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia increased by 13.3% in March, just around the start of Ramadan. As a result of this increase, there are now about 383 weekly flights, up from about 338 in February.
Flydubai, in particular, has significantly boosted its flight operations to the Kingdom, with a remarkable 40% increase, soaring from 93 weekly flights in February to 130 flights in March. These flights encompass various destinations within Saudi Arabia, including Abha, Jazan, Neom, AlUla, Qaisumah, Dammam, Qassim, Hail, Hofuf, Jeddah, Riyadh, Madinah, Taif, Yanbu, Najran, and Tabuk.
Moreover, Etihad Airways has augmented its flight frequency by over 22.2%, escalating from 63 flights in February to 77 flights in March, focusing on key destinations such as Dammam, Jeddah, and Riyadh. Emirates flights to the Kingdom surged to approximately 67 weekly flights in March, covering Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, and Riyadh, while Wizz Air Abu Dhabi operated around 21 weekly flights, including Dammam and Madinah.
Air Arabia also expanded its flight operations to Saudi Arabia, reaching approximately 88 weekly flights, covering a multitude of destinations such as Abha, Al Jowf, Dammam, Qassim, Hail, Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh, Taif, Yanbu, and Tabuk.
During the Umrah season coinciding with Ramadan, Etihad Airways successfully transported around 45,000 passengers to various destinations in Saudi Arabia, with Jeddah emerging as the preferred destination among travelers, boasting a passenger occupancy rate exceeding 95%.
Tourists from the United Arab Emirates, India, Pakistan, and Indonesia made up the bulk of Saudi Arabia's visitors at that time. Due to the increased demand, Etihad Airways has permanently increased the number of flights to Riyadh and Jeddah, bringing the total number of weekly flights to 77. As of March 15, there are 28 flights to Riyadh, 21 flights to Dammam, and 28 flights to Jeddah.
