Saudi Arabia’s Flyadeal to launch daily Riyadh-Hyderabad flights from July 1

Posted on by Taiwo Adebulu

Written by: Express Intern

2 min readMay 19, 2026 06:45 PM IST

WATCH VIDEO HERE ➤

Saudi Arabia’s low-cost carrier Flyadeal will launch its first regular flights to India from July 1, starting daily services between Riyadh and Hyderabad, marking a significant expansion in air connectivity between the two countries. Hyderabad will become the airline’s debut Indian destination, with another Indian route expected to be announced soon, Gulf News reported

Flyadeal, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s national carrier Saudia, operates as a budget airline focused on affordable regional and international travel. The carrier currently serves destinations across West Asia, North Africa and parts of South Asia, and has been steadily expanding its international footprint since launching operations in 2017.

Gulf carriers eye growing India market

The India launch comes at a time when Gulf carriers are aggressively increasing capacity in the Indian aviation market amid strong demand for business travel, tourism and religious pilgrimages. News agency Reuters recently reported that foreign airlines, including Gulf-based carriers, have been expanding services to India as operational disruptions and airspace restrictions continue to affect Air India’s international operations.

According to the Gulf News report, the Riyadh–Hyderabad service is expected to serve a large Indian expatriate population in Saudi Arabia, especially workers and families from Telangana and neighbouring states. The move is also likely to intensify competition in the low-cost international travel segment currently dominated by airlines such as IndiGo, Air India Express and Flynas.

Saudi Arabia has been rapidly expanding aviation ties with India as part of its broader tourism and economic diversification strategy under Vision 2030. Budget airlines are increasingly targeting Indian cities due to high passenger volumes linked to labour migration, Umrah travel and growing bilateral trade.

The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis.

A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students.

All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence.

Core Team

The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy:

Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership.

Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage.

Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. … Read More

Stay updated with the latest – Click here to follow us on Instagram

© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd

WATCH FULL VIDEO HERE ➤

Related Posts