Operating license paves the way for the launch of a new budget carrier from Dammam to 81 destinations
The new budget airline project based in Dammam has advanced toward commencing operations after the General Authority of Civil Aviation granted a consortium led by Air Arabia an Air Operator Certificate (AOC), following the completion of regulatory and technical requirements related to safety, security and operational quality.
The move is particularly significant for travelers in the Eastern Province and Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector, as the project aims to build a network covering 81 domestic and international destinations, with plans to reach approximately 10 million passengers annually by 2030.
24 domestic and 57 international destinations
According to the Saudi Press Agency and Air Arabia’s press office, the new carrier will operate from King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, with its plans covering 24 destinations within the Kingdom and 57 international destinations. The AOC does not mean that all of these routes will be announced immediately, but it represents one of the key regulatory steps required before commercial operations begin and the network is gradually expanded.
The consortium comprises Air Arabia, Nesma Group and KUN Holding. It won the General Authority of Civil Aviation’s competition in July 2025 to establish and operate a new Saudi-owned national budget carrier with majority Saudi ownership. According to previously announced plans, the project aims to operate a fleet of up to 45 aircraft by 2030.
What does the move mean for travelers from the Eastern Province?
A budget carrier based in Dammam could expand direct travel options for residents of the Eastern Province, both within the Kingdom and to regional and international markets. Increasing the number of operators at King Fahd International Airport could also strengthen competition in fares, schedules and services, particularly on routes experiencing high demand.
The authority said the certificate was issued after the carrier passed the required technical and regulatory stages, including safety, security and operational compliance standards. It expects the project to support trade and tourism in the Eastern Province and improve the Kingdom’s air connectivity.
More than 2,400 direct jobs targeted
The project’s impact is not limited to increasing the number of flights. Official information indicates that it is expected to create more than 2,400 direct jobs in the aviation sector, in addition to indirect effects on airport services, tourism, hospitality, transport and travel-related supply chains.
The expansion comes as part of a broader effort to increase the Kingdom’s capacity and air connectivity and to transform aviation into a driver of tourism and logistics services. The carrier’s base in Dammam gives the Eastern Province a greater role in the national aviation network, rather than concentrating growth solely in traditional aviation hubs.
When will flights begin?
The official announcement focused on the issuance of the Air Operator Certificate and the targeted network plans, and did not specify a final detailed schedule for each destination or a launch date for all routes in the published material. Flight dates, fares and the first destinations therefore remain subject to the carrier’s forthcoming operational announcements.
The featured image is illustrative, showing a passenger aircraft at an airport, and is not a photograph of the new Saudi carrier. Photo: Niklas Jonasson / Unsplash.
