I had braced myself for a bit of a mess. Flying domestically in Saudi Arabia isn’t exactly well-documented, and from the few trip reports out there, the common theme seemed to be… disorganization. So imagine my surprise when everything went smoothly. No drama, no stress—just a straightforward, easygoing trip.
Before we dive into the flight, let’s talk about Riyadh’s massive aviation plans. The city isn’t just getting a new airport—it’s also launching a brand-new airline. Pretty ambitious, right? But more on that later.
For now, let’s check out flight with Flynas, Saudi’s second-largest airline and one of its budget carriers.
Flynas Checking In at Riyadh Terminal 5
Our journey started at Riyadh’s Terminal 5, the newest part of the airport, built in 2016. Unlike the older terminals, which were showing their age, this one felt fresh and well-organized. Security was smooth, and check-in was fast, but I did notice one thing—staff were strict about carry-on weight. If your bag’s over the limit, don’t expect any leniency.
Riyadh’s airport is about to get a major upgrade, though. Right now, it handles around 32 million passengers annually. By 2030, a massive new airport will be in place, expanding capacity to 120 million passengers, and by 2050, they’re aiming for 180 million. That’s a sixfold increase. The plans, designed by Foster + Partners, include four terminals and six parallel runways. Big things are coming.
Meet Riyadh Air: Saudi’s New National Airline
Here’s the wild part—Saudia, the country’s national airline, won’t be operating from the new airport at all. In fact, they’ll be pulling out of Riyadh altogether. Instead, a brand-new airline, Riyadh Air, will take over as the city’s primary carrier.
Riyadh Air hasn’t even started flying yet, but they already have big ambitions:
- 100 destinations across six continents
- 60 Airbus A321s and 39 Boeing 787s on order
- Led by Tony Douglas, the former CEO of Etihad (the guy who helped transform it into a top-tier airline)
The logic behind creating a new airline instead of just expanding Saudia? Simple. Saudia will focus on religious tourism in Jeddah, while Riyadh Air will handle more international connections and possibly operate with fewer restrictions (there are rumors alcohol might be allowed on flights in the future).
Boarding the Flynas A320
Flynas has been around since 2007, originally called Nas Air before rebranding in 2013. Today, they operate 90 destinations across 41 countries with a fleet of 60 aircraft (and 120 more on the way, including A330neos).
I boarded my turquoise A320 and settled into seat 22F. Flynas’ economy seats offer 30 inches of pitch—more spacious than many budget airlines. The seats had decent padding, and while they weren’t fancy, they were comfortable for a short-haul flight.
One cool surprise? Flynas actually has a lounge at Riyadh Airport, which I accessed with Priority Pass. It was bright, clean, and had a solid selection of food—basically, a members-only sandwich and salad shop.
The Disappearing Meal
Now, here’s where things got weird. Since this was a budget airline, I had pre-ordered and paid for a meal—a meat kofta. But once in the air, all the crew handed out was bottled water. No carts, no meal service.
I asked a flight attendant about my meal, and she casually responded, “There are no meals today, there are no pre-orders,” and walked away. Um… okay? Another passenger across the aisle looked equally confused. When he asked, he got the same brush-off.
So, in honor of the meal I didn’t get, here’s a moment of silence for my lost kofta.
Flynas Landing and Final Thoughts
Aside from the food fiasco, the flight was smooth, and the views of the Saudi desert were stunning. Landing in Jeddah felt easy and organized, which, honestly, was the biggest surprise of all.
Would I fly Flynas again? Yeah, probably. The airline itself seems promising, but they could definitely improve their customer service—especially when it comes to pre-paid meals.
Overall, domestic flying in Saudi Arabia? Way easier than I expected.