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Saudia (SV) Guide

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Flights from Jeddah and Riyadh across Saudi Arabia and to Europe, Asia, Africa and North America, fleet and cabins, baggage, check-in and how to find cheaper Saudia fares. Ask a question
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In short

Saudia is the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, headquartered in Jeddah with hubs at King Abdulaziz International, Riyadh, Dammam and Medina. It flies to 148 destinations in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Saudia is in SkyTeam and runs AlFursan. Cabins are Economy, Business and First.

Saudia is Saudi Arabia’s national airline and one of the largest airlines in the Middle East, carrying millions of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims every year.

Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Saudia. Routes, schedules and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.

What to expect

Saudia is the national airline of Saudi Arabia, headquartered in Jeddah with its main hub at King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) and secondary hubs in Medina and Dammam. It flies to 148 destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, and is the main carrier for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims arriving in the kingdom.

From a government agency to Saudia

Saudia was founded in September 1945 as Saudi Arabian Airlines, a government agency under the Ministry of Defense, with Trans World Airlines running it under a management contract. Scheduled domestic flights began in March 1947 with five DC-3s on a Jeddah, Riyadh, Hofuf and Dhahran route. Two Boeing 720s arrived in 1962, making it the fourth Middle Eastern airline to fly jets, and it became a registered company on 19 February 1963.

A name that came back

The airline took the short name Saudia on 1 April 1972, dropped it in a 1996 rebrand and brought it back on 29 May 2012, the day it joined SkyTeam. In September 2023 it went further and returned to its 1970s logo and livery, at the same time launching an AI travel assistant built on GPT-4.

flyadeal and Saudia Cargo

The group includes flyadeal, a low-cost airline announced in 2016 that started flying in mid-2017 on domestic and regional routes, and Saudia Cargo. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser is chairman and Ibrahim Al-Omar director general.

Riyadh and the 2030 plans

Saudia plans to leave King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh as a hub by 2030 to make room for the new national carrier Riyadh Air. It aims to grow from 148 destinations in September 2025 to 250 by 2030. To get there it ordered 39 Boeing 787s in March 2023, with options on ten more, and 105 Airbus A320neo and A321neo jets in 2024, adding to a fleet of 157 aircraft.

Some routes have shifted recently. In January 2025 the London service to Neom moved from Heathrow to Gatwick.

SkyTeam membership since 2012

Saudia has been a SkyTeam member since 29 May 2012, so travellers can connect onto partners such as Air France, KLM, Delta and Korean Air on one ticket and earn miles across the alliance.

Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change

Checked against trusted sources:
Saudia official website

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  1. Saudia official website
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Good to know

  • Founded1945
  • Other gatewaysRUH / DMM / MED
  • Online check-inYes

Everything you should know

Airline codes

SV · SVA

IATA · ICAO · callsign “SAUDIA”

Every Saudia flight number begins with SV. Flight-tracking sites and air traffic control use the ICAO code SVA, and the radio callsign is SAUDIA.

Key facts

Main hub

Jeddah (JED)

King Abdulaziz International

Also flies abroad fromRiyadh (RUH) · Dammam (DMM) · Medina (MED)

Network

148 destinations

Saudi Arabia · Middle East · Europe · Asia · Africa · North America

Saudia has a huge domestic network and links Jeddah, Riyadh and Medina with pilgrims’ home countries in Asia and Africa, plus Europe and the US.

Destinations

Cabin classes

Economy

and Business, First

First on selected wide-bodies, Business and Economy; flat beds in Business on the 777 and 787.

Compare cabins

Good to know

Saudia’s low-cost subsidiary is flyadeal. No alcohol is served on board. Check your flight status before travelling. Official website: saudia.com.

Frequent flyer

AlFursan

Member of SkyTeam

Saudia is a SkyTeam member; its programme is AlFursan.

How it works

Start a new search

Before you book Saudia, run the same dates through bookingMentor: rival airlines on routes from JED appear in one set of results.

Have a good trip, whether you start in Jeddah or somewhere else on the Saudia network.

Select dates

At a glance

Saudia (IATA: SV, ICAO: SVA) is the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, founded in 1945 and headquartered in Jeddah, with hubs in Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam and Medina. A SkyTeam member, it flies about 150 Airbus and Boeing aircraft to around 148 destinations across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.

Key facts about Saudia
HeadquartersJeddah, Saudi Arabia
Fleet typesBoeing 777-300ER, 787-9, 787-10, Airbus A330-300, A321neo, A321, A320
Frequent flyerAlFursan
Official websitesaudia.com

Flight routes

Destinations and routes

Direct routes
The Saudia network at a glance. The airline changes routes from time to time, and a search shows which SV flights run on your dates. Search flights

Saudi Arabia

Jeddah (JED) departures6 destinations

Check all

Fleet and aircraft

Saudia had 157 aircraft in 2025, mixing Airbus A320, A321 and A321neo jets on domestic and regional routes, Airbus A330s on medium-haul routes, and Boeing 777s and 787s on long-haul flights. On order are 39 Boeing 787s from March 2023 and 105 Airbus A320neo-family jets from 2024.

  • Boeing 777-300ER Wide-body · 37 Long-haul and high-demand pilgrimage routes
  • Boeing 787-9 Wide-body Long-haul routes
  • Boeing 787-10 Wide-body Long-haul routes
  • Airbus A330-300 Wide-body · 31 Medium-haul and busy domestic routes
  • Airbus A320 Narrow-body Domestic and regional routes
  • Airbus A321 Narrow-body Domestic and regional routes
  • Airbus A321neo Narrow-body Domestic and regional routes

Cabin classes

Depending on the aircraft, Saudia offers First, Business and Economy. Many long-haul aircraft have Business and Economy only, so check the seat map for your flight. Saudia does not serve alcohol on board.

Economy All flights

Full service, halal meals

MealsChecked bag includedEntertainment

Business All aircraft

Flat beds on 777 and 787

AlFursan LoungePriority servicesExtra baggage

First Selected 777s

Top cabin

Private suiteFine dining

AlFursan

AlFursan is Saudia’s frequent flyer scheme, and you can sign up on saudia.com.

Alfursan is the Saudia loyalty programme. Members earn miles on Saudia and SkyTeam partner flights and spend them on awards and upgrades.

Baggage allowance

Check your e-ticket for the exact Saudia allowance. It is set by the fare type, the cabin and the route, whether you start at JED or another airport.

Checked baggage
On your e-ticket
Cabin baggage
Depends on fare
Extra bags
Cheaper before you fly
Power banks
Cabin bag only

Allowances depend on route, cabin and fare; Hajj and Umrah flights have special rules, including for Zamzam water. Check your e-ticket.

Pro tip: Flights around Hajj and Umrah peaks fill early. Confirm the baggage allowance for your fare and route on saudia.com, since it varies by destination and cabin.
Travel day

Online Check-in

The four steps below take you from your Saudia booking to the gate, whether you depart from JED or another airport on its network.

  • Online check-in available
  1. Step 1

    Check in online

    Online check-in for SV flights is on the official Saudia website or app. You need the SV booking reference or e-ticket number and the passenger’s surname.

    Booking ref + surname
  2. Step 2

    Prepare your documents

    Before leaving for the airport, check that your passport is valid and that you hold any visa or entry document needed at the other end of your Saudia flight. Domestic SV passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.

    Passport · visa · ID
  3. Step 3

    Arrive early

    Saudia closes its check-in counters before departure, and passengers who miss the cut-off can be refused boarding. Leave room for bag drop and security at JED.

    3 hours before international
  4. Step 4

    Drop your bags

    At the airport, take your bags to the Saudia bag-drop point. Collect a printed SV boarding pass there if you have not saved one to your phone.

    Saudia counter
Ready to check in? Check in and manage your booking on the official Saudia website.
Check in with Saudia
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Cheap tickets

How to find a cheaper Saudia fare without giving up the bag or seat you need.

  1. 01

    Look across the week

    Saudia fares are often lower on midweek departures. Search a spread of dates around your trip to find the cheaper days.

    Midweek flights
  2. 02

    Avoid peak seasons

    Ramadan (Umrah), the Hajj season and the summer holidays are the busiest periods.

    Ramadan, Hajj & summer
  3. 03

    Check what each Saudia fare includes

    The lowest SV fare is not always the cheapest trip once bags and seats are added. Compare the fare types before you pay.

    Baggage & changes
  4. 04

    Compare flyadeal

    Saudia’s low-cost subsidiary flyadeal flies many domestic routes.

    Domestic routes

  5. Ready to compare fares?

    Search Saudia alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.

    Search Saudia flights

Reviews and questions

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Everything travellers ask before flying Saudia.
Answers checked against Saudia’s official sources and public aviation references, and reviewed each season.

Getting there

Yes. Saudia joined SkyTeam on 29 May 2012. Through SkyTeam, passengers can connect to member airlines and earn or redeem Alfursan miles on partner flights, subject to the fare and programme rules.

General