Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, and Tata group-owned Air India have signed a codeshare agreement that will come into effect from February, significantly expanding travel options between
India and the Kingdom while strengthening connectivity for business, tourism and diaspora traffic, according to a statement.
Under the agreement, passengers of both airlines will benefit from streamlined booking and ticketing on a single itinerary, smoother connections and baggage check-through to their final destination. The partnership is aimed at maximising flight options and enhancing the overall travel experience amid growing demand on India–Saudi routes.
“Through the new partnership, guests will enjoy streamlined booking and ticketing, smooth connections using a single itinerary, and baggage check-through to their final destination. The codeshare will provide Saudia’s guests access to major cities across India via Mumbai and Delhi, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Lucknow, and Jaipur and more than 15 other destinations as interline,” Air India said in a statement.
Conversely, Air India passengers flying to Jeddah or Riyadh will be able to connect seamlessly onwards on Saudia-operated flights to destinations such as Dammam, Abha, Gassim, Gizan, Madinah and Taif. The inclusion of codeshare flights on the Jeddah–Riyadh sector will also allow travellers greater flexibility to arrive in one city and depart from another. The airlines said connections to select international destinations will be added later this year.
Commenting on the partnership, Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, said the agreement represents a strategic step forward for both carriers. “The codeshare agreement with Air India marks a strategic step forward, given both airlines’ long histories and their shared commitment to increasing connectivity within their home markets and between their countries, while offering guests broader access to more destinations through simplified travel procedures that elevate the overall travel experience,” he said.
Highlighting Saudia’s long-standing presence in the Indian market, Al-Omar added that the airline has been operating in India for over six decades and has helped foster closer ties between the two countries. He also pointed to Saudi Arabia’s expanding tourism appeal, noting that seamless e-visas, stopover visas and visa-on-arrival facilities for eligible Indian passport holders have made travel to the Kingdom easier than before.
Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson said Saudi Arabia is one of the airline’s most important markets in the Middle East. “The country is fast transforming into a major international gateway to the region. We are happy to be partnering with Saudia to provide greater access to the large Indian diaspora spread across Saudi Arabia as well as to open up the Kingdom’s rapidly evolving and diverse tourism offerings and remarkable destinations to holidaymakers from India,” he said.
Since its privatisation in 2022, Air India has been steadily expanding its global partnerships. The airline currently has 24 codeshare agreements and nearly 100 interline arrangements with international carriers, offering its customers seamless access to more than 800 destinations worldwide. The new tie-up with Saudia further strengthens Air India’s presence in the Middle East, one of its key overseas markets.
