Qatar Airways Increases Saudi Network To Nine Destinations

Qatar Airways is expanding its network in Saudi Arabia with the addition of flights to Al-Ula, home of the country’s first UNESCO World Heritage site, and Tabuk, a city close to the border with Jordan.

Additionally, the airline plans to resume service to Red Sea port city Yanbu after a six-year hiatus.

The move will increase the Oneworld alliance member’s network to nine points in Saudi Arabia, operating more than 125 flights weekly. It already serves Dammam, Gassim, Jeddah, Medina, Riyadh and Taif.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker says the new destinations “offer a wealth of cultural, historical and natural experiences, and we are proud to connect travelers from around the world to these remarkable places.”

Flights from Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) to Al-Ula’s Prince Abdul Majeed bin Abdulaziz International Airport will start on Oct. 29, operating twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays. The ancient city is being transformed into a luxury tourist destination as part of the kingdom’s Vision 2030.

Yanbu’s Prince Abdul Mohsin Bin Abdulaziz international Airport returns to the airline’s route map on Dec. 6 with three roundtrips per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, providing a new travel option for visitors to the West Coast seaport.

The third addition will see flights to Tabuk’s Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Airport commence on Dec. 14 with three frequencies per week. Flights to the city, located in northwestern Saudi Arabia, will be offered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

“Qatar Airways' new routes to Al-Ula, Yanbu and Tabuk are expected to facilitate business and leisure travel, further strengthening economic ties and cultural exchanges between Qatar and Saudi Arabia,” the airline says in a statement.

The airline resumed Qatar-Saudi Arabia flights in January 2021 after an absence of more than three years following the restoration of diplomatic relations. A “solidarity and stability” agreement was signed by leaders at a Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Al-Ula, ending a rift that saw Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates blockade Qatar since June 2017.