Riyadh Air, Air India Sign Partnership to Boost Saudi-India Air Connectivity

Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier, Riyadh Air, and India’s flag carrier, Air India, have signed a partnership agreement aimed at enhancing connectivity between the two countries and meeting rising demand for travel between Saudi Arabia and India.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU), announced on Thursday, lays the groundwork for potential interline and codeshare arrangements, subject to regulatory approvals. The agreement is expected to provide passengers with more seamless travel options and improved access to destinations across both airlines’ networks.

Under the partnership, the two carriers will also explore cooperation in several areas, including reciprocal loyalty programme benefits, cargo operations, operational support, and digital and technology initiatives designed to improve the customer experience.

“The partnership supports growing demand for travel linked to business, tourism and family visits, reflecting the deep economic, cultural and people-to-people ties between Saudi Arabia and India,” Air India said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia has emerged as one of the most popular overseas destinations for Indian travellers. Around 3.4 million Indians visited the Kingdom in 2025, accounting for roughly 10 percent of India’s outbound tourism market.

Highlighting the significance of the agreement, Air India Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Campbell Wilson said India and Saudi Arabia are among the fastest-growing aviation markets globally.

“India and Saudi Arabia are two important growth markets in global aviation today, and the scale and momentum in both countries make this a natural partnership,” Wilson said.

The announcement follows Air India’s codeshare agreement with Saudi Arabia’s national carrier, Saudia, signed earlier this year to offer passengers streamlined bookings, smoother connections and through-checked baggage services.

Riyadh Air Chief Executive Officer Tony Douglas said the new partnership reflects the strong economic and cultural relationship between the two nations.

“India is one of the most important and dynamic aviation markets in the world, and this partnership with Air India marks a defining step in Riyadh Air’s mission to connect Saudi Arabia with key global destinations,” Douglas said.

The agreement comes as Saudi Arabia accelerates investment in aviation and tourism under its Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy. Backed by the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, the Riyadh Air aims to connect Saudi Arabia to more than 100 destinations worldwide by the end of the decade.