Saudia’s first direct passenger flight from Riyadh to Moscow landed in the Russian capital on Friday, inaugurating a scheduled service that underscores a rising rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Russia. The airline has outlined plans to operate three weekly round trips to Sheremetyevo International Airport, aimed at stimulating travel, business exchanges and high-level diplomacy.
The flight arrived under the callsign SV 283, having departed King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh earlier in the day. The inaugural leg was operated by a Boeing 787-9 before the service transitions to a two-class Airbus A320 from 12 October. The return service departs Moscow under SV 282.
Saudia had opened reservations earlier this month and had shifted its planned launch from 7 October to 10 October. Officials say ticketing has now commenced, and the airline is prepared to sustain the three-times-weekly schedule throughout the winter season.
The route is part of a broader push by Saudi aviation authorities to enhance direct connectivity with Russia. Flynas, a low-cost Saudi carrier, initiated its own Riyadh–Moscow service in August, flying three times a week between Riyadh and Vnukovo Airport. A further expansion is expected in December when Flynas begins a direct route between Jeddah—gateway to the holy cities—and Moscow.
Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, has welcomed the launch, citing the flights as key enablers of increased tourism and business engagement. Lavrov noted that in 2024, Russians made more than 36,000 trips to Saudi Arabia, while outbound Saudi travel to Russia reportedly surged sixfold compared to the previous year. In recent diplomatic discussions, Lavrov and his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, emphasised the role of aviation links in bolstering people-to-people ties.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism and its General Authority of Civil Aviation view the flights as a component of a strategic agenda to attract more Russian visitors and diversify economic linkages. The move aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to increase inbound tourism and reduce reliance on oil revenues.
Moscow airport authorities have added the service to Sheremetyevo’s schedule, expecting arrivals at Terminal C. Analysts see the timing as deliberate: Russia is under Western sanctions, prompting a pivot toward new partners and markets, while Gulf countries offer affluent travelers seeking novel destinations.
Industry observers suggest that demand from pilgrims, tour groups, and business travellers will shape uptake. Moscow holds appeal for Saudis as a cultural and architectural draw, and easier access may encourage more multi-stop itineraries linking Europe and the Gulf.
In broader regional context, Gulf tourism flows to Russia have grown sharply over the past years—with visits from Gulf states quadrupling between 2019 and 2024. The expansion of direct flights by carriers such as Saudia, Flynas and Air Arabia is seen as central to this trend.