Saudi low-cost airline flyadeal has launched five new routes from Madinah, marking the city’s development as the airline’s newest operational base.
The airline has introduced flights to Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport, along with four domestic destinations: Abha, Al Hofuf, Jazan and Tabuk.
The expansion increases the number of flyadeal destinations served from Madinah’s Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport from three to eight.
Previously, flyadeal operated services from Madinah only to Riyadh, Dammam and the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
The new routes represent a 40% increase in capacity from the airport, taking the total number of weekly flyadeal flights to 88. Two aircraft are now permanently based in Madinah, joining the airline’s other operational hubs in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.
flyadeal chief executive Steven Greenway said the expansion showed the airline’s long-term commitment to the city. He said Madinah was set to become one of flyadeal’s key bases, offering greater flexibility to add routes and increase frequencies.
“Madinah is a natural choice given its importance as the second holiest city in Islam and a major gateway for pilgrims,” he said.
The expanded schedule also supports flyadeal’s year-round Umrah services, which operate direct flights to Madinah from several international markets.
Chief Commercial and Customer Officer Rogier van Enk said the new routes were designed to serve both business and leisure travellers in the region, while also attracting inbound pilgrimage traffic.
He added that the airline would continue working with airport authorities to expand connectivity in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy.
Alongside the new routes, flyadeal has increased frequencies on existing services. Flights between Madinah and Cairo now operate 11 times a week, while services to Dammam have risen to 26 weekly flights. The airline also maintains a five-times-daily schedule to Riyadh.
flyadeal operates a fleet of 44 Airbus A320 aircraft. Nearly 60% are based in Riyadh, with others positioned in Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah. The airline aims to grow its fleet to more than 100 aircraft by 2030 and expand its network to over 100 destinations within the next five years.
