Saudi low-cost carrier flyadeal expects its operational capacity to grow by 20% to 25% in 2026 as it expands its fleet, aiming for an “operational leap” with a total of 98 aircraft, CEO Steven Greenway told Saudi business daily Al-Eqtisadiah.
The company’s expansion process will begin in 2027, with a new aircraft delivery scheduled each month until 2029 to reach the planned fleet size. In 2025, the airline carried 11 million passengers, and it projects to take the count to 12-13 million passengers in 2026 as the expansion gathers its speed.
Carrier flyadeal, which reported a 35% year-on-year increase in passenger capacity this December, will be inducting new aircraft types, notably the wide-body A330neo, which can carry 420 passengers. The wide-body aircraft, joining flyadeal’s fleet for the first time, will be capable of connecting Saudi airports on long-haul routes spanning from Western Europe to Southeast Asia. This will allow the low-cost venture to significantly expand its international network and develop a transcontinental operational structure to meet rising demand for travel to and from the Kingdom.
Also, flyadeal plans to restructure its operations over the next two years to achieve a balanced mix of domestic and international flights. It will result in a significant shift from the airline’s current operational structure, which relies on an 80% domestic and 20% international flight model.
In 2024, the airline closed its activities with a fleet of 36 aircraft, and in 2025, it added eight more. By this year’s end, flyadeal will have 44 aircraft, with one final delivery expected in the last week of December, Greenway said, while adding that the short-term plan includes addition of four new aircraft in 2026, bringing the fleet to 48, comprising traditional A320s, fuel-efficient A320neos, and A321s with 240 seats.
The Kingdom’s aviation sector recorded significant growth in 2024, with passenger numbers exceeding 128 million, a 15% year-on-year increase. The Kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation reported more than 905,000 flights, up 11% from 2024, while air connectivity grew 16% to over 170 destinations worldwide.