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Saudia’s passenger traffic rises 21% to 30m in 2023 

By Pramod Kumar
Saudi transported over 16.7 million passengers through its international flight network, rising 36% year on year Saudia
Saudi transported over 16.7 million passengers through its international flight network, rising 36% year on year

State-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) carried more than 30 million passengers in 2023, a 21 percent year-on-year increase on higher seat capacity and flight frequency.

The national flag carrier operated 176,300 flights, a four percent rise year on year. 

Transit flights witnessed a growth of 77 percent in 2023 compared to 2019, the airline said in a statement.

Saudia achieved an overall on-time performance of 86.4 percent last year, which is among the top 10 globally.

The airline transported more than 16.7 million passengers through its international flight network, an increase of 36 percent year on year. More than 79,4000 international flights were operated, up 19 percent year on year. Saudia also registered a 26 percent increase in flight hours, which rose to 382,000 last year.

Domestically, Saudia carried more than 13.5 million passengers, registering a seven percent growth in 2023 compared to the previous year.

The airline started operations at the Red Sea International Airport, alongside the launch of several international destinations, including Beijing, China; Birmingham, UK; and Johannesburg, South Africa.

“Saudia’s growing performance metrics reflect the optimal execution of our year-round operational plan, particularly during peak seasons,” said Ibrahim Koshy, CEO of Saudia Group.

“Looking ahead, we anticipate a substantial expansion of our fleet, propelling our performance,” he added.

Saudia operates flights to more than 100 destinations across four continents through its fleet of 142 aircraft.  

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