Wizz Air expands routes between Saudi Arabia and Europe

10x Industry

Mita Srinivasan
10x Industry
Published:

Wizz Air expands routes between Saudi Arabia and Europe

The new routes will enhance Wizz Air’s presence in the Kingdom that will boost the growing Saudi Arabian tourism sector and contribute to the Vision 2030 programme to triple the country’s passenger traffic by 2030. This follows their earlier of new routes to Europe and Saudi Arabia from the UAE.

Wizz Air, one of Europe’s fastest growing and most sustainable airline, is launching 20 exciting new routes from Europe to Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The new routes will enhance Wizz Air’s presence in the Kingdom that will boost the growing Saudi Arabian tourism sector and contribute to the Vision 2030 programme to triple the country’s passenger traffic by 2030. The airline estimates that this expansion will bring over one million additional travellers to Saudi Arabia next year.

This follows their earlier announcement in June this year of new routes to Europe and Saudi Arabia from the UAE.

The airline continues to introduce extended travel opportunities at ultra-low fares between Europe and the Kingdom to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s global connectivity. Tickets starting from 54.99 € for these routes are available on its website and the airline’s mobile app.

Jozsef Varadi, CEO of Wizz Air, said, “Saudi Arabia is one of the most exciting countries in the world for aviation portraying an eclectic mix of travel opportunities with unmissable destinations, countless exciting attractions, and a thriving cultural scene. Today’s announcement follows the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) we recently signed with the government enabling us to contribute to Saudi tourism’s growth and its entire ecosystem. Not only does Wizz Air offer incredibly low fares to travellers given our operational efficiency, but we also fly one the youngest, most modern, and sustainable fleet of aircraft in the world. I see the Kingdom as a long-term strategic market for Wizz Air where we will continue to innovate and carry the flag of low cost flying for the benefit of Saudi residents and visitors as well as the country’s diversifying economy.”

The MoU with the Ministry of Investment for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a Ministry of Tourism initiative, aimed to enhance the development of the Saudi Tourism Sector. It reflects a shared vision between both parties on the potential Wizz Air could bring to the Kingdom to stimulate tourist demand, thereby making a significant contribution to Saudi Arabia’s planned growth.

Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the Board at Saudi Tourism Authority, said: "This announcement is one of the largest such announcements anywhere in the world. It is a real first for Wizz Air and for Saudi, and opens a new and affordable gateway for visitors from Europe that will allow everyone to come and explore the world's most exciting new destination. This is already an exceptional partnership and today is just the start. We are making it easier than ever to get to Saudi and are confident that increased travel options and competitiveness will expand consumer choice and drive down costs."

The easing of COVID-19 restrictions and the removal of PCR test requirements for vaccinated travellers has made travel simpler again, allowing for more spontaneous trips abroad.