Flag carrier Saudia has opened its new lounge at London Heathrow Airport, in Terminal 4. The exclusive space is available for First and Business Class guests, as well the airline’s Alfursan Gold frequent flyer members. The airport lounge was officially inaugurated by H.E. Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group. It features a range of guest amenities including a premium dining experience with an international buffet service, a private VIP area offering à la carte dining and personalised butler service. There is a bespoke London Tea Exchange experience, showers with Urban Apothecary amenities, prayer rooms, and a quiet zone. Guests can also make use of fully equipped workspaces, along with high-speed Wi-Fi and charging stations. Additionally, the lounge's design incorporates sculptures and artwork. Rossen Dimitrov, Chief Guest Experience Officer at Saudia, said: “We are proud to offer our guests a premium space that combines comfort, luxury, and cultural richness.” The new lounge is part of Saudia's strategic plan to enhance services, which includes a comprehensive investment in guest experience, with seat retrofits and high-speed in-flight connectivity across its fleet.

National flag carrier Saudia rounded off 2024 with significant growth in passenger traffic, carrying 20 million international guests on scheduled and additional flights. The airline highlighted its progress in its latest performance report. It represented a 16% increase in passenger numbers compared to 2023. Transit guest numbers also surpassed 9.3 million, which was an impressive annual growth of 18%. In total, Saudia carried 35 million guests throughout 2024, including Hajj and Umroh charters. The airline operated a total 193,000 scheduled flights. Its on-time performance rate was 89.1%, a 2.7% improvement on 2023. Eng. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, said: “Operating in the competitive aviation industry demands a constantly evolving strategy. Saudia is committed to achieving sustainable operational excellence.” “We have also made significant strides in enhancing our services and enriching the overall guest experience.” As part of its ongoing digital transformation, Saudia reported a significant increase in guest engagement with usage of the Saudia app up by 40%. Looking ahead, Saudia plans to further expand its fleet, increasing seat capacity, and extending its global network. The current fleet comprises 147 aircraft.

Saudia has inked a multi-billion dollar aircraft order with Airbus. The airline has agreed to buy 54 A321neo aircraft and its budget brand flyadeal will acquire 12 A320neo and 39 A321neo planes. The total list price value of the aircraft order at $19 billion. The two parties announced the deal at the Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh. "This landmark agreement encompasses 105 confirmed aircraft and marks a significant moment not only for the Saudi aviation industry but also for the wider MENA region," Saudia said. It is the largest single aircraft deal in Saudi Arabia. Combined, Saudia and flyadeal have a fleet of 176 planes. Aircraft deliveries are expected to begin in 2026 until 2032. Saudia currently has an order with Boeing for 39 Dreamliner 787 jets. A new airline called Riyadh Air is slated to launch operations in summer 2025. Boosting the aviation market is a major part of Saudi Arabia’s "Vision 2030" which is also planning major airport infrastructure developments. 

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Flag carrier Saudia has unveiled a new brand identity and livery. It is in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 to boost tourism and air links. The rebrand is the start of a new era for the Saudi Arabia airline with a strong digital tech focus to improve the customer experience. The new brand colour identity is green, blue, and sand. In parallel to the rebrand, Saudia has also undertaken a big digital transformation. It has an Artificial Intelligence virtual assistant, named "SAUDIA", which isone of the first of its kind in the region. This will enable guests to complete the entire transaction through the VA by the end of the year Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General, said: "We are experiencing a new era and a very exciting time for Saudia. Our airline has evolved from a Douglas DC-3 in 1945, to a 140-aircraft modern fleet.” Saudia now serves s over 100 destinations. “The name and logo of Saudia are integral parts of the Kingdom's aviation history," he added. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 includes specific targets of the National Aviation Strategy. It aims to turn Saudi Arabia into a leader by enhancing the customer experience and working towards a more sustainable future.

Saudia Group airlines - Saudi Airlines, flyadeal, and Saudi Private Aviation are allocating 1.2 million seats for Hajj travel globally. The integrated plan includes optimising the group's combined fleet of 164 aircraft, with the additional 12 aircraft. Saudia group will transport Hajj travellers from more than 100 scheduled destinations plus 14 seasonal destinations. Flights operate to six Saudi airports - Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Medina, Taif, and Yanbu. All other Saudia Group subsidiaries, including Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries and Saudi Ground Services (SGS) will operate at full capacity during the Hajj season. Amer Alkhushail, Chief Hajj and Umrah Officer at Saudia Group, said: "This operational plan is in line with the directives of the Supreme Hajj Committee and in cooperation with the Ministry of Hajj and the Pilgrim Experience Program." Saudia has concluded a number of operational agreements to serve pilgrims in many countries. To provide an enriching travel experience for pilgrims, Saudia has updated its in-flight Islamic content including religious programs. The updates include more than 134 hours of various religious programs and 590 hours of Quran recitations. Many Islamic programs are available in several languages such as Arabic, English, Indonesian, Chinese and other languages. Saudia's Inflight Entertainment system offers a large collection of educational e-books on how to perform Hajj and Umrah in more than 14 languages.