Air India, Saudia sign codeshare pact to boost India-Saudi connectivity from February

New Delhi, January 24. Air India and Saudia, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, have signed a codeshare agreement that will come into effect from February, aimed at enhancing air connectivity between India and the kingdom while offering passengers greater flexibility and convenience.

Under the agreement, passengers of both airlines will benefit from simplified booking and ticketing, single-itinerary travel, and baggage check-through to their final destination, ensuring smoother connections and an improved overall travel experience.

For Air India customers, the partnership enables seamless onward travel from Jeddah and Riyadh on Saudia-operated flights to several domestic destinations within Saudi Arabia, including Dammam, Abha, Gassim, Gizan, Madinah and Taif. The inclusion of codeshare services on the busy Jeddah-Riyadh sector will also allow travellers to arrive in one city and depart from another, adding greater flexibility to their itineraries. Connections to select international destinations are expected to be added later this year.

Saudia passengers, in turn, will gain access to an expanded Indian network via Air India’s hubs in Delhi and Mumbai, with onward connections to major cities such as Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Lucknow and Jaipur, along with more than 15 additional destinations through interline arrangements.

Commenting on the agreement, Air India Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Campbell Wilson said Saudi Arabia remains one of the airline’s most important markets in the Middle East and is rapidly emerging as a major international gateway. He noted that the partnership would improve access for the large Indian diaspora in the kingdom while opening up Saudi Arabia’s evolving tourism landscape to Indian travellers.

Saudia Group Director General Ibrahim Al-Omar described the codeshare as a strategic step reflecting the long-standing presence of both airlines in their respective markets and their shared focus on expanding connectivity and simplifying travel for passengers. He highlighted Saudia’s more than six-decade-long operations in India and pointed to eased visa procedures, including e-visas, stopover visas and visa-on-arrival for eligible Indian passport holders, which have made travel to the Kingdom increasingly accessible.

The agreement further strengthens Air India’s growing global network. Since its privatisation in 2022, the airline has expanded to 24 codeshare partnerships and nearly 100 interline agreements, offering its customers seamless access to over 800 destinations worldwide.