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The first direct international flights to Saudi Arabian gigaproject NEOM will be round trips to Dubai, with direct flights to London to follow soon after.
In a joint announcement, NEOM and Saudia, the kingdom’s flagship airline, said the first international flights will land at NEOM Bay, the airport that currently serves the project, by the end of June, with a weekly round trip service from Dubai International Airport (DXB).
Flights to London will follow shortly after, with others to selected regional and international destinations after that. NEOM will operate the flights in partnership with Saudia, with planes landing there to have special NEOM livery.
NEOM has more than 1,500 full-time employees from 65 nationalities, many of whom travel regularly to and from the project. NEOM Bay is currently only served by domestic flights.
The gigaproject, first announced in 2017, is a key component of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which highlights the need for economic diversification including a focus on bringing tourism to the kingdom. So far, NEOM’s developers have announced smart city The Line, industrial and port project Oxagon as well as outdoor ski field Trojena. The first tourists are expected in early 2024.
(Reporting by Imogen Lillywhite; editing by Brinda Darasha)
