As part of its greater Vision 2030 plan to welcome 150 million visitors annually, Saudi Arabia announced the upcoming launches of not one but three new airlines. In addition to new Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia will debut three additional carriers to fuel the increased number of tourists visiting the country.

Currently, Saudi Arabia operates four airlines (Saudi Airlines and Riyadh Air, as well as low-cost airlines Flyadeal and Flynas). Although still unnamed, the three new airlines will focus on specific regions of Saudi Arabia. Some information on two of the three carriers has been released, with details of the third likely revealed at a later date.

One of the new airlines will be based in Medina and curated for religious tourists. The budget airline expects tenders within the next few months.

The second of the new airlines will be based in Dammam as a budget carrier. This airline aims to have 45 aircraft to connect to 57 international destinations and 24 domestic destinations by 2030, all from King Fahd International Airport. The airline will be a joint venture between Nesma Group, low-cost Air Arabia and KUN Investment Holding, hoping to carry 10 million passengers annually.

Brands and launch dates of these three airlines have not yet been disclosed, nor have the aircraft brands the airlines will operate been named.

This isn’t the only air travel-related news to come out of Saudi Arabia. On Dec. 8, Riyadh Air and IBM announced a partnership to launch the world’s first AI-native airline. Initial flights are slated to enter commercial service in early 2026 as part of the three-year collaboration between companies. The AI-driven operations will transform guest and employee experiences and set a new benchmark for innovation in the aviation industry.

“We had a clear choice—be the last airline built on legacy technology or the first built on the platforms that will define the next decade of aviation,” said Adam Boukadida, chief financial officer, Riyadh Air. “With IBM, we’ve stripped out fifty years of legacy in a single stroke. Riyadh Air isn’t just built for today; it’s built for the future and creating a pathway for many airlines to follow in the years to come.”

The partnership will see features like digitally driven, AI-enabled voice bots and agent assist to deliver attentive, personalized support using contextual data anchored in human values. AI-powered mobile applications will create a connected and integrated employee and guest journey with an AI-based concierge service.

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