Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has continued its transformation in 2023 with the transportation of over 30 million guests, which marks a 21% increase compared to the previous year.
During the year it operates more than 176.3 thousand flights, demonstrating a 4% increase. While transit flights witnessed a growth of 77% in 2023 compared to the year 2019. These accomplishments are a result of Saudia’s strategic enhancements to its operational model, which focused on increasing seat capacity and flights frequency while fostering operational efficiency to achieve an overall on-time performance of 86.44% in 2023 which is among the top 10 globally.
Internationally, Saudia has played a pivotal role in connecting the world to the Kingdom by transporting over 16.7 million passengers through its international flight network, marking a substantial 36% increase. The airline operated more than 79.4 thousand international flights, marking a 19% increase compared to the previous year. Saudia has also registered a 26% increase in flight hours with 382 thousand flight hours in 2023.
Domestically, Saudia continued to serve the Kingdom by transporting over 13.5 million passengers, showcasing a 7% growth compared to previous year. Moreover, 55% of the total flights operated, totaling 96.9 thousand flights, were dedicated to the domestic destinations, accumulating 163 thousand flight hours.
Saudia has also inaugurated operations to the Red Sea International Airport in 2023, alongside the launch of several international stations including Beijing, China, Birmingham, UK, and Johannesburg, South Africa, reinforcing its commitment to expanding its global reach across various continents.
Captain Ibrahim Koshy, CEO of Saudia Group, said: “Saudia’s growing performance metrics reflect the optimal execution of our year-round operational plan, particularly during peak seasons. These figures are a testament to our success in serving key sectors, including tourism, business, and pilgrimage.
“Looking ahead, we anticipate a substantial expansion of our fleet, propelling our performance and marking a new chapter for Saudia since its inception, eighty-years ago.” He added.
Saudia currently operates flights to over one hundred destinations across four continents with a diverse fleet of 142 aircraft. With strategic investments in King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudia aims to establish a central hub that bridges the East with the West for transit flights. This aligns with the airline’s commitment to improve the travel experience for guests through the adoption of the latest digital systems, artificial intelligence technologies, as well as introducing an upgraded system infrastructure which is set to elevate operational efficiency and punctuality.