flynas will launch direct flights between Jeddah and Rabat on July 4, becoming the first Saudi carrier to operate a scheduled non-stop service between the two cities as it deepens air links with Morocco and expands its African network.The Riyadh-based low-cost airline said the route will begin with one weekly flight between King Abdulaziz International Airport and Rabat-Salé Airport. The service will add to its Jeddah-Casablanca flights, which began in 2023 and currently operate three times a week, giving travellers another direct option between the two kingdoms during a period of rising demand for leisure, business and religious travel.
The new route places Rabat, Morocco’s political capital and one of its key cultural centres, more directly within reach of passengers from western Saudi Arabia and onward travellers using Jeddah as a gateway to Makkah and Madinah. The timing also aligns with the summer travel season and the airline’s broader push to strengthen point-to-point connectivity beyond traditional regional hubs.
flynas has transported more than 300,000 passengers between Saudi Arabia and Morocco since launching its Jeddah-Casablanca service three years ago. The addition of Rabat indicates that demand has moved beyond the Casablanca corridor, with traffic supported by family ties, tourism, business links and travel by Moroccan pilgrims to the holy sites.
The airline operates more than 2,000 weekly flights across 156 routes to over 80 domestic and international destinations in 38 countries. It has carried more than 110 million passengers since its launch in 2007 and is targeting 165 destinations under its expansion plan.
The route also fits within the National Civil Aviation Strategy, which seeks to raise annual passenger traffic to 330 million and connect the kingdom to 250 international destinations by 2030. Jeddah is central to that effort because of its role as the main aviation gateway for religious travel and as a growing commercial and tourism hub on the Red Sea.
Morocco has become one of North Africa’s strongest tourism markets, drawing 19.8 million visitors in 2025, up 14 per cent from the previous year. Tourism revenue also climbed sharply, helped by new air routes, hotel investment and stronger promotion of destinations beyond Marrakech and Casablanca. Tourist arrivals rose again in the first quarter of 2026, reaching 4.3 million, as the country continued preparations to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
Rabat is expected to gain from that wider momentum. The city has expanded its tourism profile through cultural attractions, heritage sites, coastal development and improved urban infrastructure. Its UNESCO-listed areas, including the modern capital and historic districts, have made it a destination for travellers seeking alternatives to Morocco’s busier tourism centres.
For flynas, the Rabat route supports a wider move into African and medium-haul markets. Morocco was its first long-haul international market, and the airline has steadily widened its network with flights targeting both leisure travellers and passengers visiting family or performing Umrah. The carrier’s low-cost model gives it room to compete on price-sensitive routes where direct access can shift travellers away from connecting itineraries through third-country hubs.
The airline’s expansion is backed by one of the region’s largest aircraft order books. Its agreement for 160 Airbus aircraft, including 30 A330neo wide-body aircraft and 130 A320-family aircraft, doubled total orders to 280 aircraft. Deliveries of the wide-body jets are due to begin in 2027, enabling flynas to pursue longer-range markets while continuing to grow short- and medium-haul routes with single-aisle aircraft.
Competition in Saudi aviation is intensifying as the kingdom reshapes its air transport sector. Saudia, flynas, flyadeal and Riyadh Air are all expanding networks as the country seeks to position itself as a global aviation and tourism centre. The government’s push includes new airport capacity, stronger international connectivity and greater private-sector participation in aviation services.
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Saudi Arabia