Riyadh: Saudia Group has made its largest aircraft order to date, securing 105 Airbus A320-family jets to advance Saudi Arabia's aviation and tourism sectors. The deal, signed at the Future Aviation Forum, includes 12 A320neo and 93 A321neo aircraft.
The first delivery is set for the first quarter of 2026, according to Ibrahim AlOmar, Saudia Group's director general.
“This is our biggest investment in passenger experience,” he said.
The order is valued at $19 billion, although airlines typically negotiate discounts from list prices.
The jets will be divided between Saudia, the national carrier and its budget airline, Flyadeal.
Saudia will receive 54 A321neos, while Flyadeal will take 12 A320neos and 39 A321neos. This order increases Saudia Group's Airbus backlog to 144 A320neo aircraft.
Flyadeal is also considering additional single-aisle Airbus planes.
This strategic purchase aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, aiming to diversify the economy by boosting tourism and aviation. The kingdom targets 330 million passengers annually, 250 destinations and 150 million tourists (70 million international) by 2030.
In 2023, Saudi airports saw a record 111.7 million passengers, a 26% increase from the previous year.
The aviation sector contributed $20.8 billion to Saudi Arabia's GDP, with aviation-related tourism generating an additional $32.2 billion, according to the General Authority for Civil Aviation's State of Aviation report.