Saudia operates in a highly competitive region with carriers like Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways heavily investing in their premium products, but that competition has paid off: Saudia has come a long way from my first 787-9 business class flight in 2016 to today.
Saudia 787-9 Business Class Review (JED-KUL)
After a very unproductive layover in Jeddah, I was happy to board our flight to Malaysia and go to sleep…little did I know how much I would soon be spoiled onboard.
This wasn’t my first time on a Saudia 787-9…I flew on this aircraft in business class eight years ago (same seat) and it was a decent flight, though nothing all that special. This flight, though, was special. Saudia has come a long way.
Boarding began 45 minutes before departure from gate A31A.
Saudia 834
Jeddah (JED) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
Wednesday, November 20
Depart: 2:15 AM
Arrive: 3:55 PM
Duration: 08hr, 40min
Distance: 4,394 miles
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9
Seat: 1A (Business Class)
It’s not just the new seat onboard (from Collins Aerospace Diamond to Super Diamond) that impressed: the cabin lighting has improved, such that you feel like you are stepping into a very posh cabin. The cabin lighting was dimmed, mood lighting was on, and all the reading lights were on, creating a very visually appealing cabin.
Seat
The Saudia 787-9 Dreamliner includes 24 seats in business class, located between doors 1 and 2 in the front of the aircraft. The Collins Aerospace Super Diamond seats are arranged in a reverse-herringbone pattern, 1-2-1.
I found plenty of room for my feet under the monitor.
Each seat has ample storage in cabinets in the seat console and under the opposite armrest.
Inside one of the cabinets is a universal A/C outlet, USB-A outlet, and headphone jack.
There’s a reading light and literature pocket at shoulder level.
Overhead, reading lights and individual air vents are available.
The seat converts into a fully flat bed that is 78 inches in lie-flat mode. Saet position could be controlled by a small panel to the side of the seat.
Bedding includes a large pillow and plush duvet (no mattress pad). Turndown service is not offered. I slept very well for six hours, with the flight attendant shaking me awake so that I could dine prior to arrival (I asked her to do this before I went to sleep and appreciate that she did…).
Lavatories
I used the lavatory shortly after takeoff (a handicapped lavatory near door 2L that has a lot of extra room) and then used the forward-most lavatory next to the flight deck door prior to landing. In both, the floor was wet… which seems to occur every time I fly Saudia. Are people doing ablutions during the flight?!
In addition to the wet floor, the forward lavatory had extra skincare amenities:
Another question: why no paper towels? Emirates uses real towels in business class…Saudia cannot even use thicker paper towels? You wipe your hands off and the tissue disintegrates, creating a nasty mess. Why?
Food + Drink
The highlight of the flight was the meals…I sandwiched my six-hour nap with two delicious meals. Saudia has a 100% on-demand dining service, which rivals Qatar Airways and exceeds Emirates.
Menus were offered before takeoff:
Shortly after, Arabic coffee was offered with dates by a flight attendant dressed as a chef:
Orders were taken prior to takeoff (which is greatly appreciated on a relatively short overnight flight).
Beverages (I had a mocktail Bellini) and warmed mixed nuts were offered first.
It was now almost 3:00 am and I probably should have just gone to bed after an omelet in the Saudia Lounge, but regular readers know I cannot turn down airline food, especially in a premium cabin.
Rather than have a heavy dinner after takeoff and then breakfast before landing, I had breakfast first…shakshuka.
A time-honored Saudi traditional dish made of scrambled eggs and tomato concasse with feta cheese and a pinch of cumin to finish.
The tray setting was elaborate: Saudia does not use trays in business class and the table was nicely set in a way that felt more first class than business class. That included fresh-squeezed orange juice, bottled water, a side of cucumber and tomatoes with herbed labneh, a side fruit plate, warm pita bread, and baked cheese fatayer.
This was a delicious meal and also light…I went to bed pleasantly satisfied and not close to being stuffed.
After a great rest, I enjoyed a heartier meal before landing of Arabic mezze (baba ganoush, tabbouleh, hummus, and mutton kibbeh) followed by a mixed grill (beef kofta, lamb cutlet, and chicken shish tawook with onion, red chili, tahini sauce, and pomegranate). The appetizers and the meat were delicious…it was a flavorful, enjoyable meal.
I also enjoyed a delicious cup of coffee (Sumatra single origin) from the extensive non-alcoholic beverage menu as well as a berry smoothie and more fresh orange juice.
I tried a cappuccino as well and while it was fine (good, in fact, for an airplane), but the Sumatra coffee (and Arabic coffee) were so much better.
Speaking of beverages, here is the beverage menu:
I chucked at the “red” and “white” … apple cider and the mocktails onboard, but kudos to Saudia for having an extensive list of non-alcoholic beverages like fresh juices, tea, coffee, smoothies, and the mocktails…Yes, I realize that the lack of alcohol is a dealbreaker for some travelers and a big competitive disadvantage versus its Gulf rivals, but at least there are many choices onboard.
Overall, the on-demand, a la carte meal service onboard was fabulous…a huge improvement and a competitive aspect of the onboard experience.
IFE + Wi-Fi
Prior to takeoff, a safety video followed by an Islamic prayer were screened:
The “Beyond” IFE library was larger than on the A330-300 and also with a fresh new system that included movies, TV shows, games, and audio. I did not watch anything so I cannot comment on the extent to which any music or videos were edited.
The screen could also be controlled by a hand-held unit housed in one of the storage compartments.
Noise-cancelling headphones worked well.
Some views out the window:
Amenity Kit
I quite liked the Saudia-branded amenity kit, which included:
- Sprekehus skincare
- hand lotion
- face cream
- lip butter
- face cleanser
- perfume oil
- eyeshade
- earplugs
- socks
- dental kit
Service
Upon boarding, we were promptly greeted by Sultan, the cabin manager for the flight. I did not see much of him during the flight, but his colleagues graciously served the business class cabin. Again, I was very appreciative of actually being woken up for the pre-arrival meal.
CONCLUSION
Saudia has improved greatly over the years and I’d put it in the top tier now in terms of in-flight premium cabin service if you can deal without alcohol. I was so happy I splurged for business class on our journey from Tunis to Kuala Lumpur via Jeddah.
Augustine, meanwhile, slept through the flight and missed all the great service and food except for a bowl of fruit after takeoff. I guess he needed the rest…
8.5 hour duration for a 2000ish mile flight? Is that right?
Fixed.
Jeddah to Tunis is listed as this flight on the bolded flight stats FYI instead of JED-KUL. Looks like a copy & paste lapse on the destination since your last review was Tunis to Jeddah. Now back to the economy reviews 😉
Yes indeed! Thanks, Sam! Happy New Year!
Nice flight! I sure love the retro looking amenity kit. Just want to say that a dry airline is NOT a deal breaker for me! With such good service I could care less. I’m so glad that you shared your experience. I will definitely try to fly Saudia. HAPPY NEW YEAR! to you & family!
Happy new year to you!
“Are people doing ablutions during the flight?!”
Most likely, yes.
So was Saudia your most pleasant surprise in terms of the flying you did in 2024?
Also, the menu lists “scrambled or pan-fried eggs”, does that mean they are cooked to order or just a choice of pre-made dishes? Just asking since the poached eggs are under a different listing,
They are cooked to order and indeed, this flight (and perhaps the Bulgaria Air one as well) was the most pleasant surprise of the year.
In fact, this flight should have been on my top-10 list.
Having spent time in Saudi Arabia. I’m not surprised about the wet floor. As with most toilets in the Middle East a hose is always next to the toilet for people to use like a bidet. Usage is often thorough and excessive which leaves a very wet stall. This happens everywhere even in nice hotels. I get it on one level on another level it’s really gross know the water is most likely infused with fecal matter. When in Saudi I try to only use my hotel room for #2.
Everywhere in Saudi Arabia, no matter where you go, the bathroom floors are a sickening wet mess. I’m surprised vivid didn’t start here.
And no alcohol on an airline, I don’t fly it. I take Qatar or Emirates from Riyadh every time for the past 20 years.
Would be interested to know how much Saudi edits their films and TV content now. Caught a flight around a decade ago and the James Bond film watched was cut significantly and I noticed most of the others weren’t running to their advertised screen time.
I had this flight from JED to KUL a few times already. The wifi is very lousy. The food is average. The entainterment like movies is also average. The seat is good(on business class).
Saudi’s business class is excellent in developed counties, but avoid them on trips to Manila via Riyad. The planes are extremely old and shows it. 8 to 11 hour layovers and you’re only allowed 4 hours in business class lounge. On one of my trips last year my seat was not functional. Saudia promises they will respond when there is a problem but 5 months later they only send notices “investigating”. Don’t depend on the company addressing horrible service.