Riyadh, February 28, 2024, Saudi Arabia's Air Connectivity Program (ACP) has forged a partnership with Italy's national carrier, ITA Airways, to establish air routes between Rome and Saudi Arabia's key aviation hubs, Riyadh and Jeddah. Commencing operations in May 2024 for Riyadh and August 2024 for Jeddah, ITA Airways will deploy its Airbus A321neo aircraft, the largest member of the Airbus A320 family, to service these routes.
Flights from Rome to Riyadh will operate weekly, departing on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays starting May 5th, with additional departures on Wednesdays beginning June 2024. Similarly, flights from Rome to Jeddah will commence on August 1st, departing every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
This collaboration underscores Saudi Arabia's commitment to bolstering air connectivity with Europe, while ITA Airways recognizes the Middle East as a pivotal market for strategic expansion. The introduction of these new routes will provide passengers access to ITA Airways' extensive network spanning 51 destinations.
ITA Airways anticipates the Riyadh-Rome route to serve as a crucial conduit for business travelers between the two regions, while the Jeddah-Rome route is expected to facilitate significant tourism and religious travel exchange between Saudi Arabia and Italy.
Majid Khan, CEO of ACP, expressed delight over ITA Airways' decision to launch direct flights from Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) to Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the ease of travel for inbound tourists and business travelers from ITA Airways' European, South American, and American networks. He lauded the collaboration as the beginning of a fruitful partnership.
Aligned with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, a comprehensive economic diversification program focusing on key sectors like tourism and aviation, the Kingdom aims to position itself as a leading aviation hub in the Middle East and a vital connection point between East and West. In 2023, Saudi Arabia welcomed a record 100 million tourists, including 27 million foreign visitors, underscoring the country's growing prominence in the global tourism landscape.
In accordance with Vision 2030 objectives, Saudi Arabia is significantly expanding its air route capacity to support its ambitions of becoming a premier aviation hub and enhancing connectivity with international markets.
