Etihad and Qatar Airways are accelerating their expansion in Saudi Arabia, with new routes and increased frequencies to key destinations.
The two developments highlight the rapid growth of regional air connectivity and the Kingdom’s growing importance as a hub for business, religious and leisure travel ahead of major global events.
Etihad expands to Medina
Etihad Airways has commenced flights from Abu Dhabi to Medina, further expanding its strong presence in the Kingdom and enhancing travel options for guests in the religious, business and leisure segments.
The direct service connects Abu Dhabi with Medina and will support the growing demand from pilgrims and travelers seeking seamless connections to the Kingdom’s holy city.
Medina becomes the latest addition to Etihad’s operations in Saudi Arabia, reinforcing the UAE’s national airline as a major facilitator of travel to and from the Kingdom.
With the launch of flights to Medina, Etihad will operate 93 flights per week to five Saudi cities, flying four times a day to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, and three times a week to Al Qassim.
This expansion is part of Etihad’s ambitious growth strategy, which has added 31 new destinations in one year.
Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, said: “The launch of Medina reflects our commitment to strengthening connectivity from Abu Dhabi to Saudi Arabia, one of our most important markets. Medina has deep cultural and spiritual significance for millions of people, and we are honored to offer convenient travel through Abu Dhabi to this culturally and spiritually important city.
“With this new route, we hope to support religious travel and provide guests with greater access, choice and convenience through our home in Abu Dhabi.”
Etihad will operate five weekly flights to Medina using its Airbus A321 aircraft, increasing to six weekly flights later this year.
Qatar Airways adds Hail and boosts flights to Jeddah and Riyadh
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways continues to deepen its Saudi network, with group CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer announcing further service expansions during his panel discussion at the TOURISE 2025 Summit in Riyadh.
Starting January 5, 2026, the airline will launch three weekly flights to Hail (HAS), making it the 13th city in Saudi Arabia that the airline operates in. Qatar Airways will also increase its Jeddah and Riyadh frequencies from six to seven daily flights.
Al-Meer said: “At Qatar Airways, we are proud to see our presence continually growing in both scale and importance across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our network now spans all major regions in the Kingdom and, in the last 12 months, we have connected almost 2.5 million passengers in the Kingdom to our global network.
“This is a reflection of the level of trust that travelers in Saudi Arabia place in our airline and the excellence of our services across the Saudi market.”
Qatar Airways’ presence in Saudi Arabia will now span 13 destinations, with more than 150 weekly flights, offering connections to more than 170 global destinations through Hamad International Airport.
Position of airlines regarding the rise of Saudi tourism
Both Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways have outlined long-term commitments to support Saudi Arabia’s aviation and tourism growth, aligning with the Kingdom’s broader economic diversification goals under Vision 2030.
As Saudi Arabia continues to invest heavily in infrastructure and mega projects (including the Red Sea, NEOM and the 2034 FIFA World Cup), demand for air connectivity in the business, religious and leisure segments is increasing.
