New Route of the Day (5 November 2025): SAUDIA between London LHR and Dammam
SAUDIA commenced operations between London LHR and Dammam, on Saudi Arabia’s Persian Gulf coast across from Bahrain, on Wednesday 5 December. The 5,025-kilometre service will be maintained 3-weekly, departing London on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with the 289-seat 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. The SkyTeam member is the sole operator between the two cities.
Flight SV118 departs London Heathrow at 22:05 local time, arriving in Dammam at 07:35 local time the following morning. The return service, operating as flight SV117, takes off at 16:25 local time on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, touching back down at Europe’s busiest airport at 20:20 local time.
What they said
Mohammad Baakdah, Vice President of Ground Operations at SAUDIA, said: “The inauguration of the new Dammam–London route is a key milestone in SAUDIA’s strategic collaboration with the Air Connectivity Program. It reflects our ongoing commitment to elevating the guest experience across every touchpoint. The new route also reinforces our mission to bring the world to the Kingdom, opening the door for more travellers to discover Saudi Arabia’s cultural richness, historical depth, and year-round tourism experiences.”
Mohammed Al-Hassany, CEO of Dammam Airports, added: “This step is a shared success between Dammam Airports, SAUDIA, the Air Connectivity Program, and other partners, reflecting our commitment to expanding international connectivity from King Fahd International Airport in alignment with Dammam Airports’ strategy and the Aviation Program’s goals under the National Transport and Logistics Strategy.”
SAUDIA with 55-weekly UK flights
SAUDIA now serves the United Kingdom from four Saudi cities, including Riyadh, Jeddah, Neom Bay and the newly added Dammam. The carrier maintains operations to London LHR, London LGW, Manchester and Birmingham in the UK.
This winter, the SkyTeam member offers 55-weekly services between the two countries. It provides 17,480 seats per week each way.
Air Connectivity Program paves way for new routes
The Saudi Air Connectivity Program (ACP), which aims to enhance air connectivity from unserved and underserved markets around the world to Saudi Arabia, has assisted with the launch of the new London LHR – Dammam service.
Established in 2021, the ACP’s primary goal is to support air travel partners as they initiate or expand their presence in the Kingdom. The program aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in air connectivity by developing new and existing routes. So far it has attracted numerous carriers from around the world, including the likes of Virgin Atlantic, ITA Airways, LOT Polish Airlines and numerous Chinese carriers.
The Kingdom had initially set a target to welcome 100 million tourists by 2030. That figure was already surpassed in 2023, with the new goal now to reach 150 million tourists.
