Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, has announced a new phase of expansion for the airline in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He made the announcement during the panel session “Tourism Rising: A New Era of Influence and Impact” at the TOURISE Summit 2025 in Riyadh.
The airline will begin operating three weekly flights to Hail (HAS) from 5 January 2026, making it the 13th city served by Qatar Airways in Saudi Arabia. The airline will also increase its daily flights to Jeddah (JED) and Riyadh (RUH) from six to seven. Qatar Airways, recently named the World’s Best Airline by Skytrax for the ninth time in 2025, says this expansion reflects growing demand for enhanced connectivity across the region.
Al-Meer highlighted that Qatar Airways has connected nearly 2.5 million passengers within Saudi Arabia to its global network over the past year. He said the airline’s wider footprint underscores the trust Saudi travellers place in its services and reinforces its long-term commitment to the Kingdom.
Flights to Hail will depart Doha every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday as QR1228 at 14:20, arriving at 16:30, while return flights from Hail to Doha will operate as QR1229 at 17:30, arriving at 19:25. The new route follows a period of strong growth for Qatar Airways in Saudi Arabia, including the resumption of flights to Abha and the launch of services to The Red Sea in October, which made the airline the first international carrier to connect the destination to more than 170 global cities.
With this addition, Qatar Airways will serve 13 destinations in the Kingdom with more than 150 weekly flights, providing travellers with seamless access to over 170 global destinations through its Doha hub at Hamad International Airport. The airport was named the Best Airport in the Middle East for the 11th consecutive year in 2025 and has been recognised as the World’s Best Airport in 2021, 2022, and 2024.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club members can earn Avios not only when flying but also when shopping or dining at Qatar Duty Free. The loyalty programme allows members to redeem Avios for flights, lifestyle rewards, and exclusive experiences through the Privilege Club Collection.
