Daily Riyadh–Hyderabad flights to begin on July 1 as flyadeal expands into India.
Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s low-cost carrier flyadeal will launch flights to India for the first time, introducing daily non-stop services between Riyadh and Hyderabad starting July 1, 2026.
The move marks flyadeal’s — a subsidiary of national carrier Saudia — entry into one of the Gulf region’s busiest aviation markets, where millions of Indian expatriates regularly travel between the Gulf and India for work, family visits, and religious trips.
The airline said tickets are now available through its website, mobile app, and travel agents.
Hyderabad will be flyadeal’s first destination in India, with the airline also indicating that a second Indian route will be announced soon. The city is a major technology and business hub in southern India and has strong travel links with the Gulf, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE, driven by its large expatriate population.
Sanjiv Kapoor, acting CEO of flyadeal and Executive Vice President of Strategy at Saudia Group, said: “India, a long-awaited addition to flyadeal’s growing network of international destinations, is a key part of Saudia Group and flyadeal’s long-term strategy.”
He added: “Hyderabad marks the first step in our planned expansion into India, driven by the strong economic, social, and cultural ties that India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have shared for decades.”
The launch also strengthens Saudi Arabia’s growing aviation links with India, as Gulf airlines continue to expand capacity to meet rising travel demand from Indian passengers.
The Saudi low-cost carrier is strategically targeting the high-volume travel corridor between India and the Kingdom, supported by around 2.5 to 2.7 million Indian expatriates living in Saudi Arabia, along with a steady flow of religious pilgrims.
India operations
Until now, flyadeal has only operated special Hajj and Umrah flights between India and Saudi Arabia. The Hyderabad route will be its first regular scheduled passenger service between the two countries.
The daily flights will be operated using Airbus A320neo aircraft configured with 186 Economy Class seats.
India now joins flyadeal’s expanding international network, which already includes destinations in the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, and Pakistan.
The airline currently operates a fleet of 46 Airbus A320-family aircraft from bases in Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah, and Dammam to 37 destinations.
Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector has been expanding rapidly under Vision 2030, with airlines adding new aircraft and routes as the Kingdom works to boost tourism and strengthen international connectivity.
