flyadeal Begins New Flights from Riyadh to the Fastest Growing Economy in the World

Saudi Arabia’s low-cost carrier flyadeal (F3) has officially entered the Indian aviation market, launching daily scheduled flights between Riyadh and Hyderabad. The inaugural flight touched down at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) on July 4, 2026, marking the airline’s first-ever regular scheduled service to India and a significant milestone in its international expansion strategy under the Saudia Group umbrella.

The launch was marked with an official welcome ceremony at Hyderabad Airport, attended by senior leadership from both GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) and flyadeal, according to Siasat.com.

Flight Schedule and Aircraft Details

According to Gulf News, flyadeal operates the Riyadh–Hyderabad–Riyadh route daily, using an Airbus A320neo configured in an all-Economy layout with 186 seats. The aircraft features USB-A and USB-C charging ports at every seat, Airbus’ “Airspace” cabin interior, and extra-large overhead storage bins.

According to schedule details reported by Connecting Travel, the route operates as follows:

Each journey takes approximately five to six hours. Tickets are available through flyadeal’s website, mobile app, and travel agency network.

Executive Reactions to the Launch

Sanjiv Kapoor, flyadeal’s Acting Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President of Strategy at Saudia Group, called India a long-awaited addition to the airline’s network of international destinations and described it as central to the group’s long-term growth strategy. He confirmed Hyderabad is the first step in a broader India push, with a second Indian destination expected to be announced soon.

At the Hyderabad ceremony, flyadeal’s Acting Chief Commercial Officer, Loyd Misquitta, said the new service reflects rising demand for travel between India and Saudi Arabia and will strengthen commercial, tourism, and cultural ties while giving passengers more choice at competitive fares, per Siasat.com.

Kadhir Kadhiravan, CEO of GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited, welcomed flyadeal’s India debut, noting the Riyadh connection strengthens the airport’s Middle East network and reflects Hyderabad’s growing role as a global aviation hub, supporting both the Indian diaspora and new trade and tourism opportunities.

Why Hyderabad? A Strategic First Stop in India

Hyderabad, the capital of the Indian state of Telangana, was selected as flyadeal’s inaugural Indian gateway for several overlapping reasons:

• Technology and business hub: The city hosts major campuses for global firms including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, and has developed into one of India’s leading centers for IT, aerospace, defense, and startups.
• Strong Gulf ties: Hyderabad has deep cultural, religious, and expatriate links with the Gulf region, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE, driven by a large resident diaspora.
• Existing charter relationship: flyadeal had previously operated only seasonal Hajj and Umrah charter flights between India and Saudi Arabia; this marks its transition to a genuine scheduled passenger route.
• Onward connectivity: Passengers from Hyderabad gain seamless access to flyadeal’s Saudi domestic network via Riyadh, opening links to multiple cities across the Kingdom.

India becomes flyadeal’s second South Asian market after Pakistan, where the carrier launched flights via Lahore in late 2025.

Hyderabad Airport’s Growing International Footprint

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) has emerged as one of India’s fastest-growing aviation gateways. Per GHIAL’s own company profile, the airport now handles over 29 million passengers and roughly 165,000 tonnes of cargo annually, serving 26 international destinations through 23 international and 3 Indian carriers, alongside 8 domestic airlines flying to around 74 domestic points.

Separately, Business Standard reported that passenger traffic at Hyderabad grew from 18.3 million in FY18 to 29.5 million in FY25 — a compound annual growth rate of roughly 7.1% — pushing the airport close to its current design capacity and prompting GHIAL to propose a ₹14,000 crore terminal and runway expansion plan to lift capacity toward 47 million passengers annually.

Hyderabad Airport has also picked up global recognition, including the ACI World Airport Service Quality “Best Airport – Asia-Pacific” award for 2025.

The addition of flyadeal reinforces this international expansion and adds a new low-cost option on the India–Saudi corridor, alongside existing full-service carriers.

flyadeal’s Rapid Rise Under Saudi Vision 2030

flyadeal is the low-cost subsidiary of Saudia, Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier, and was established in 2016, launching its first flight between Jeddah and Riyadh on September 23, 2017\. The airline has since become, by its own description and that of Saudi trade press, the fastest-growing carrier in both the Kingdom and the wider Middle East.

Key growth milestones include:

• The airline has carried more than 45 million passengers since its 2017 launch, surpassing 10 million passengers in a single calendar year for the first time in 2025.
• Its fleet has grown to 45–46 Airbus A320-family aircraft, operating from bases in Jeddah, Riyadh, Madinah, and Dammam to more than 37 seasonal and year-round destinations across the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and South Asia.
• In May 2024, flyadeal placed its largest-ever aircraft order — 51 new narrowbody jets, comprising 12 A320neos and 39 larger A321neos — with deliveries beginning in 2027.
• In April 2025, Saudia Group ordered 10 Airbus A330neo widebody jets for flyadeal, marking the carrier’s first move into long-haul, widebody operations, with deliveries expected from 2027 onward.
• CEO Steven Greenway told Saudi business daily Al-Eqtisadiah that the airline expects 20–25% capacity growth in 2026, working toward a fleet of 98 aircraft by the end of the decade.

By 2030, in line with Saudi Vision 2030’s tourism and connectivity goals, flyadeal aims to more than double its fleet to around 100 aircraft and triple its network to over 100 destinations.

Part of a Broader Saudi–India Aviation Push

The Hyderabad launch fits into a wider pattern of Gulf carriers deepening ties with India, one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies and a key source market for outbound tourism, business travel, and religious pilgrimage traffic to Saudi Arabia. flyadeal’s entry adds a low-cost option to a corridor historically dominated by full-service carriers, potentially lowering fares for the large Indian expatriate population working in the Gulf.

Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector overall recorded more than 128 million passengers in 2024 (up 15% year-on-year) and over 905,000 flights, with international connectivity expanding to more than 170 destinations worldwide.

flyadeal has indicated that a second Indian city will be announced soon, suggesting Hyderabad is the opening move in a broader India strategy rather than a standalone route.