Saudia Launches Direct Riyadh Moscow Flights This October

Photo:Reuters

Saudia, the official airline of Saudi Arabia, will start flying directly from Riyadh to Moscow on 1 October 2025. There will be three flights a week—a step aimed at making travel smoother for people going between the two capitals 

This move responds to a sharp rise in Saudi visitors heading to Russia. The boost began after Russia introduced e‑visas for Saudis in August 2023. Thanks to that change, about 52,400 Saudis visited Russia in 2024, compared to just 9,300 the year before—a whopping 570% jump 
The trend is continuing into 2025 too. In the first six months, nearly 9,900 Saudis traveled to Moscow, marking about a 50% increase from the same time in 2024 .

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By adding direct flights, Saudia is making journeys faster and easier. There’s no need to stop elsewhere, which will help both tourists and business travellers. Officials hope this will strengthen travel, trade, and cultural connections between Saudi Arabia and Russia 
The airline already has over 100 destinations across four continents and runs more than 550 flights a day. This new Moscow route supports both Saudia’s international growth and Saudi Vision 2030, the plan to boost tourism and global ties 

Saudia is making sure everything is ready: ticket bookings will open soon, new counters will be set up at Riyadh and Moscow airports, and more aircraft will join their fleet ahead of the launch .