Saudia And Air India Sign Codeshare Agreement To Boost Connectivity Across India And Saudi Arabia

Saudia and Air India are launching a new codeshare agreement in February that links key cities in Saudi Arabia and India. The deal aims to give guests easier bookings, more route choices, and smoother transfers, while supporting strong demand from tourism, business travel, and the large Indian community living and working in the Kingdom.

Under the arrangement, Saudia’s code will be placed on a range of Air India domestic services. Saudia guests will be able to reach major Indian cities through hubs in Mumbai and Delhi, making travel simpler for those heading to large economic centres, pilgrimage locations, and other destinations that are important for family visits and trade.

The codeshare opens access for Saudia passengers to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Lucknow, Jaipur, plus more than 15 additional Indian points as interline connections. In the opposite direction, Air India guests flying into Jeddah or Riyadh will gain smooth links to several domestic Saudi destinations on Saudia-operated flights serving business hubs and regional cities.

These onward connections for Air India guests include Dammam, Abha, Qassim, Jizan, Madinah, and Taif. The agreement also adds codeshare flights on the busy Jeddah–Riyadh sector. This allows travellers to arrive in one of the two largest Saudi cities and depart from the other, giving greater flexibility for planning business meetings, pilgrimages, or family trips.

To summarise the main network links under the Saudia Air India codeshare agreement, the following table sets out key routes and hub points now available to guests of both airlines.

Alongside new city pairs, the partnership focuses on streamlining the complete journey. Guests will be able to book a single ticket covering both airlines, follow one combined itinerary, and check baggage through to the final destination. The airlines also state that links to selected international destinations will be introduced later in the year to complement these routes.

Saudia Air India codeshare agreement supported by leadership statements

Saudia Group Director General Ibrahim Al-Omar says the move is aligned with both carriers’ long-term plans. Ibrahim Al-Omar said: "The codeshare agreement with Air India marks a strategic step forward, given both airlines’ long histories and their shared commitment to increasing connectivity within their home markets and between their countries, while offering guests broader access to more destinations through simplified travel procedures that elevate the overall travel experience."

Ibrahim Al-Omar highlights that Saudia has a long relationship with the Indian market. He added: "Saudia’s presence in India spans over 60 years, during which we have proudly served a wide range of guests and helped foster stronger ties between our two nations. Saudi Arabia is a great place to visit, and with seamless e-visas, stopover visas, and also visa-on-arrival for eligible Indian passport holders, it has never been easier to visit the Kingdom."

Air India leadership also underlines the importance of the Saudia Air India codeshare agreement. Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson said: "Saudi Arabia is amongst our most important markets in the Middle East, with the country fast transforming into a major international gateway to the region. We are happy to be partnering with Saudia to provide greater access to the large Indian diaspora spread across Saudi Arabia as well as to open up the Kingdom’s rapidly evolving and diverse tourism offerings and remarkable destinations to holidaymakers from India."

Beyond this new partnership, Saudia already maintains 25 active codeshare agreements worldwide, giving its guests access to more than 100 extra international destinations. These partnerships also allow travellers on other airlines to reach many domestic points within Saudi Arabia, which supports the Kingdom’s role as a regional hub and helps bring more visitors and business traffic into the country.

With inputs from SPA