Permission Granted For Direct Russia–Saudi Arabia Flights From August

Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency has issued a permit to Saudi Arabia’s Flynas airline to perform regular flights between Riyadh and Moscow’s Vnukovo airport. The airline can perform four flights per week, from August 1 to the end of the current spring-summer navigation (October 25), using Airbus A320/330 aircraft. At present, there are no direct flights between the two capitals.

Flynas, is a privately owned Saudi low-cost airline, operating more than 1,500 flights per week, which serve more than 70 domestic and international destinations in the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Africa.

With a population of approximately 37.47 million, Saudi Arabia has a GDP (PPP) of US$2.354 trillion, a GDP per capita (PPP) of US$70,333, and a projected GDP growth rate of 2.8% for 2025.

Trade relations with Russia are strengthening, with bilateral trade rising from US$2.2 billion in 2021 to an estimated US$4 billion in 2024, driven by increasing cooperation in energy, agriculture, and technology. Russian investors are making inroads into Saudi Arabia’s retail, agricultural, and halal markets, while Saudi Arabians are amongst the top users of Russia’s e-visa program.