Air Arabia-led consortium launches King Fahd Airport operations

September 16, 2026 / 1:44 AM

The consortium, comprising Air Arabia Group, Nesma Group, and KUN Holding Company, with majority Saudi ownership, today announced that it will commence operations from King Fahd International Airport on 20 September 2026, following the receipt of its Air Operating Certificate (AOC) from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) yesterday. The airline will initially serve three domestic destinations, Riyadh, Jeddah and Medinah.

Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, said: “The launch of our operations from King Fahd International Airport marks a strategic milestone in Air Arabia Group’s growth journey and reflects our commitment to expanding affordable and reliable air travel options for customers across the Kingdom. We thank the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Dammam Airports for their support and look forward to the start of operations soon.”

He added: “Through our value-driven business model, we aim to enhance air connectivity across the Kingdom, particularly in the Eastern Province, by offering customers a wider choice of direct domestic and international destinations from King Fahd International Airport.”

Eng. Mohammed bin Ali Al-Hassany, Chief Executive Officer of Dammam Airports, welcomed the upcoming start of Air Arabia’s operations from King Fahd International Airport to domestic and international destinations, noting that the milestone reflects the airport’s growing position and the confidence of its partners in its operational capabilities. He also commended the General Authority of Civil Aviation for its efforts in supporting the development of the partnership between Dammam Airports and Air Arabia.

Al-Hassany added that Dammam Airports is looking ahead to a new phase of growth focused on enhancing air connectivity and serving travelers from the Eastern Province to destinations around the world. He reaffirmed Dammam Airports’ continued commitment to achieving the objectives of the Aviation Program under the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, in support of Saudi Vision 2030.

The carrier will operate double daily flights from Dammam to Riyadh and Jeddah, while the Dammam to Madinah route will operate daily. The new services will provide customers with greater flexibility and more value-driven travel options.

Air Arabia operates a modern fleet of Airbus A320 single-aisle aircraft, offering passengers a comfortable and convenient travel experience. Customers can enjoy the airline’s generous legroom, SkyTime, its complimentary in-flight streaming service, and SkyCafe, its onboard dining menu. Passengers can also benefit from AirRewards, the region’s most generous loyalty programme.

Customers can now book their direct flights by visiting Air Arabia’s website, www.airarabia.com, contacting the call centre, or through travel agencies.