China Southern Airlines is set to expand its network into the Middle East by launching a second service to Saudi Arabia in the summer 2024 season. This development comes as the airline prepares to inaugurate its first nonstop flights connecting Beijing Daxing International Airport with Riyadh, starting April 16. Building on this momentum, China Southern has announced plans to introduce a new route from Shenzhen to Riyadh, beginning in June.
Starting June 3, the airline will operate flights twice a week from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport to King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, using the Airbus A330-300 aircraft. This move will make China Southern the exclusive operator on this 4,199-mile route, as indicated by data from OAG Schedules Analyser.
Historically, China Southern, along with other Chinese carriers such as Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines, has provided temporary flights to Saudi Arabia primarily to accommodate religious pilgrimages. However, these forthcoming scheduled services to Riyadh represent the airline’s first regular operations into the country, signaling a significant step in strengthening aviation links between China and Saudi Arabia.
This expansion aligns with China Eastern Airlines’ entry into the Saudi market, which will initiate services connecting Shanghai Pudong with Riyadh from April 8, offering three weekly flights on A330-200 aircraft.
The launch of these routes is supported by the Saudi Air Connectivity Program, which aims to enhance connections to markets that are currently unserved or underserved. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to position China among the top three source markets for tourists visiting Saudi Arabia by 2030.
Currently, Saudia is the sole provider of nonstop flights between Saudi Arabia and China, operating four routes in total. The national carrier connects Guangzhou with Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport and Riyadh, offering services two and three times a week, respectively. Additionally, Saudia has recently commenced new services from both Jeddah and Riyadh to Beijing Daxing.
The pre-pandemic period saw a healthy flow of passengers between the two countries, with origin and destination traffic reaching around 300,000 two-way passengers in 2019, a 19% increase from 2018, according to Sabre Market Intelligence. Preliminary figures for 2023 suggest a slight dip, with approximately 283,000 two-way passengers, but the introduction of new routes by China Southern Airlines is expected to invigorate this travel corridor and further facilitate economic and cultural exchanges between Saudi Arabia and China.
