Delta Air Lines will launch nonstop service between Atlanta and Riyadh on October 23, 2026, marking its first direct service to Saudi Arabia and the first nonstop flight between the United States and Riyadh operated by a U.S. airline....
Awfully Wonderful: My Vexing 8-Hour Jeddah Airport Layover
I’m live-blogging my SAS EuroBonus SkyTeam Million Mile challenge this week. Click here for background and route information. There’s a paradox here and it drove me crazy like nothing on this trip has up until now. The beauty of...
Sindalah: Ambitious Saudi Arabian NEOM Adds Resort Island
Saudia Arabia is reinventing itself for the future and as if it didn’t need a further project, has added a resort island to the build of its ambitious NEOM project. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a...
Terrorist Attack Targets A320 At Saudi Airport
Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen have again attacked Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia, dropping a bombs and damaging a civilian Airbus A320 aircraft. Flyadeal Airbus A320 Targeted in Terrorist Attack in Saudi Arabia The attack occurred last Wednesday...
Emirates’ Most Profitable Route?
It’s a global airline with longhaul service around the world. But one of Emirates’ most lucrative routes is right in its own backyard, a journey of only 543 miles. Picture a “business route” and you think of New York...
Rebuttal: Matthew Should Feel Safer in Thailand than Saudi Arabia
Matthew wrote a post earlier this week discussing how he would feel more comfortable in Saudi Arabia than he would in Thailand following an incident with a Saudi national refugee transiting Bangkok to seek asylum. I see it differently....
Why I’m More Fearful Of Flying to Thailand Than Saudi Arabia…
By now you’ve probably heard about the story of Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, the Saudi teenager who fled from her family and is seeking refugee status in Australia. While transiting in Bangkok, she was interdicted by a Saudi diplomat, who snatched...
The One Hyatt Hotel I Will Never Review
There is one Hyatt Hotel that I would love to review but will never be able to, a Hyatt locked behind the closed doors of a city that someone like me is not welcome in. I’m talking about the...
Would You Visit Saudi Arabia as a Tourist?
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is rapidly changing. In a bid to increase foreign visitors, you’ll soon be able to obtain a tourist visa to one of the more isolated nations in the world. If I can generally summarize...
Review: Saudia 777-300ER First Class Jeddah to Los Angeles
This is part two of SV41, from Riyadh to Los Angeles. In the first installment of this report, I covered the short flight from RUH to JED and the ground stop in Jeddah. This flight covers the 16hr journey...
Review: Saudia Business Class Lounge Riyadh (RUH)
Earlier today I reviewed the Saudia First Class Lounge in Riyadh (RUH). During my long layover, I also had time to check out the business class side of the Alfurshan lounge. The lounge is subdivided into the following sections: Surprisingly, the business...
Review: Saudia First Class Lounge Riyadh (RUH)
The first class section of the Saudia Alfurshan Lounge in Riyadh (RUH) proved to be a very comfortable place to spend a 7.5hour layover between flights. To reach the lounge, simply follow the signs for “Alfurshan Lounge”. You will...
Pictures from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
I did not stray far from the Park Hyatt Jeddah during my recent transit through Saudi Arabia, though I did spend a couple hours in the evening walking around the Kingdom’s second largest city. I was not near the Al-Balad...
