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Travel to Saudi Arabia

Flying to Saudi Arabia

The cheapest but not necessarily most luxurious way to fly to Saudi Arabia is with national airline Saudi Arabian Airlines (SV) (www.saudiairlines.com), which operates a fleet of sturdy if shop-worn American planes. Regular flights connect Riyadh and Jeddah with London, New York, Washington DC, Houston, and a long list of regional cities. British Airways has recently resumed service from London to Saudi Arabia. Regional carriers also offer service to nearby cities.

Prices to and from Saudi Arabia fluctuate with little notice. Before you travel to Saudi Arabia, it’s best to arrange a round-trip ticket online or with a travel agent. But if you come in on a one-way ticket, there are a variety of excellent travel agents who can arrange ongoing bookings.

Flight times:

From London to Jeddah is 5 hours 50 minutes, to Riyadh is 6 hours 25 minutes, and to Dhahran is 6 hours 45 minutes. From New York to Jeddah is 13 hours and to Riyadh is 16 hours.

Departure tax:

SAR50. Infants, Hajj or Umrah pilgrims and passengers accompanying human remains are exempt.

Getting to Saudi Arabia by boat

The main ports are in the eastern town of Dammam, on the Gulf; and in the eastern centres of Jeddah and Yanbu, which are both on the Red Sea.

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