DALLAS – Qatar Airways’ (QR) first flight to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Airport (RSI) has landed. The inaugural flight from Doha (DOH) arrived at RSI on October 21. RSI opened in 2023 for domestic flights from Riyadh and Jeddah via Saudia.

The airline will service the route three times a week. Flights are scheduled to operate on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. The service is operated with an Airbus A320 aircraft.

“We at Qatar Airways are proud to expand our global network of more than 170 destinations with the inauguration of service to The Red Sea. The importance of the Saudi market, and our commitment to it, is proven by the growing reach of our services in the Kingdom,” Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said.

Red Sea International Airport CEO, Mr. Andrew Tyler-Smith, said, “We are thrilled to be welcoming our second international route to Red Sea International Airport, a connection from Doha to The Red Sea through Qatar Airways. This new service introduces an efficient gateway to a wide range of European destinations, unlocking critical access to key target source markets for the first time."

Flight Schedule

• Flight QR 1226 departs Doha at 07:45 (local time), arriving at Red Sea International at 10:45 (local time).
• Flight QR 1227 departs Red Sea International at 11:45 (local time), arriving in Doha at 14:15 (local time).

The arrival of the inaugural QR flight was marked by a reception at RSI Airport, with Qatar Airways’ delegation including Abdullah Al Malki, Senior Vice President of Business Control and Financial Support, Karthik Viswanathan, Vice President of Sales for the Middle East, Caucasus, Pakistan & ISC, and Sheikh Jassim bin Fahad Al-Thani, Head of Aeropolitical and Regulatory Affairs.

Twelfth Saudi Destination

Red Sea International Airport becomes QR’s 12th destination in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The carrier flies to other destinations including Abha (AHB), Al Ula (ULH), Dammam (DMM), Jeddah (JED), Medina (MED), Neom (NUM), Qassim (ELQ), Riyadh (RUH), Tabuk (TUU), Taif (TIF), and Yanbu (YNB).

The Red Sea is an emerging tourist destination located on Saudi Arabia’s western coast between Umluj and Al Wajh. Tourists can visit the location’s 90 islands and coral reefs, desert landscapes, volcanic mountains, and one of the world’s largest reef systems.