Saudi Arabia’s two national carriers, Riyadh Air and Saudia, have launched the first phase of a codeshare agreement, placing Riyadh Air’s (RX) code on Saudia flights to six domestic destinations, the airlines said on August 27.
The tie-up connects Riyadh Air, which runs on a bid-and-demand retailing platform, with Saudia’s conventional passenger services system, a technical integration the carriers describe as the first of its kind between two airlines using such different systems. It builds on a memorandum of understanding the two signed at the 2023 Dubai Airshow and supports the aviation goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 diversification programme.
Riyadh Air will add its code to Saudia flights from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh to Abha, Qassim, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah and Tabuk. The arrangement lets passengers book across both networks on a single ticket with baggage checked to the final destination. A traveller from Dammam could continue via Riyadh to Madrid on one ticket, while a passenger arriving from Kuala Lumpur could connect through Riyadh to Madinah.
Both carriers operate from Terminals 1 to 4 at the Riyadh airport, which the airlines said would ease connections. Riyadh Air business class passengers will gain access to Saudia lounges at domestic departure airports, along with priority security lanes and boarding where available.
“By combining our strengths, we are redefining the travel experience within the Kingdom,” said Vincent Coste, chief commercial officer of Riyadh Air.
Arvid Mohlin, Saudia’s executive vice president of commercial affairs, said the agreement would give passengers wider options and better connectivity within the country, along with new links between domestic and international flights.
Saudia intends to add its (SV) code to Riyadh Air flights in a later phase, and the carriers plan reciprocal benefits between their Alfursan and Safir loyalty programmes, including earning and redeeming points and shared lounge access. The integration followed three years of development with technology partners FLYR, INK and Amadeus.
Riyadh Air, a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, began operations in October 2025 and is building a network it says will reach more than 100 destinations by 2030. It has memoranda of understanding with about 15 airlines worldwide.
Why it matters for the trade
For agents and trade partners, the codeshare turns two separate Saudi networks into one bookable itinerary, letting international travellers connect onto domestic legs on a single ticket with through-checked baggage, which widens the sellable route map into Saudi secondary cities.
The bid-and-demand-to-PSS integration is the point to watch: if Riyadh Air’s platform can plug into legacy systems cleanly, it lowers the barrier to the roughly 15 further codeshares the carrier has in the pipeline, and positions Riyadh as a competing Gulf connecting hub against Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi as the airline scales towards 2030.