Saudia Cargo and Riyadh Cargo have signed an interline agreement covering freight connections through Saudi Arabia, the two carriers said on July 28.
The kingdom is targeting 4.5mn tonnes of air cargo a year by 2030 under the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, against the 1.2mn tonnes handled in 2024. Pooling network reach between the established operator and the six-month-old challenger gives both a wider sellable network without either adding aircraft, and is the first commercial link between them.
Under an interline each carrier can issue and sell transport on the other’s flights without operating them. Riyadh Cargo currently runs direct services to London, Dubai, Cairo, Jeddah, Madrid and Malaga, with Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur and Dhaka to follow.
Riyadh Cargo launched in January as the freight arm of Riyadh Air, which is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund. It operates on belly-hold capacity across Riyadh Air’s widebody fleet, with more than 120 aircraft on order, and targets more than 100 destinations by 2030.
Saudia Cargo carried more than 570,000 tonnes internationally last year. It agreed earlier this year to buy four Boeing 777-200 freighters and opened a Riyadh to Melbourne freighter route in July.
Mansour Alasmi, vice president for network and revenue at Saudia Cargo, said the agreement reflected “the importance of integration and cooperation” in strengthening the kingdom’s logistics sector.
Pravin Singh, vice president of cargo at Riyadh Air, said the deal helped position Riyadh as “an important gateway in the future of global logistics”.
Saudi air cargo volumes rose 34% in 2024, and airports across the kingdom handled more than 866,000 tonnes in the first nine months of 2025.
King Khalid International Airport’s cargo village is designed for 1.6mn tonnes a year at full capacity, with King Fahd International in Dammam rated at up to 650,000 tonnes.