Air Connectivity Program Aims For 2.5 Million Seats By End Of 2025 To Enhance Travel Options

Majid Khan, the Chief Executive of the Air Connectivity Program (ACP), announced that ACP has increased seat capacity by over 700,000 to support Umrah and visit travel until the first quarter of 2025. The program aims to reach a total of 2.5 million seats by the end of 2025, focusing on improving air connectivity to Madinah from international markets.

During the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum (UZF) at the King Salman International Convention Center in Madinah, Khan highlighted ACP's focus on key source markets. These include Europe, Gulf countries, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Indonesia, aligning with Saudi Arabia's National Tourism Strategy.

This year, Saudi Arabia plans to introduce a new air route from Stuttgart to Jeddah. This will be the third route dedicated to Umrah and visit travel from Germany. Additionally, several new airlines have been introduced for European travelers.

Eurowings is among the new airlines facilitating Umrah and visit travel from Europe. Last year saw the launch of two new routes: Berlin and Cologne to Jeddah. French airline Transavia will also start flights from Paris and Lyon to Jeddah.

Starting in August, a daily flight from London Gatwick Airport to Madinah will begin operations. This service is expected to add around 180,000 seats. Earlier this year, ACP successfully attracted 12 airlines and launched 20 new routes into Saudi Arabia.

Boosting Seat Capacity

The addition of these routes has resulted in a total of 1.5 million seats being made available. Recent airlines that have joined include ITA Airways, British Airways, Eurowings, Transavia, and Wizz Air.

Khan's remarks emphasize ACP's commitment to enhancing air connectivity for religious tourism in Saudi Arabia. The strategic expansion aims to accommodate increasing demand while supporting national tourism goals.

With inputs from SPA