Saudi Arabia's Flyadeal is set to expand its footprint in one of the kingdom's largest international markets with the launch of four new routes to Pakistan in August.
The Jeddah-based LCC will add services from Riyadh to Islamabad, Peshawar and Sialkot, as well as from Dammam to Karachi. The additions more than double the number of cities in Pakistan that Flyadeal serves.
The new routes will begin between Aug. 24 and Aug. 26 and operate two to three times per week using Airbus A320 aircraft. The additions follow Flyadeal’s entry into the Pakistan market earlier this year when it launched flights to Karachi from Jeddah and Riyadh back in February.
Flyadeal, a subsidiary of Saudia, began scheduled international operations in 2021. It now operates 28 international routes to destinations across the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Europe and Central Asia.
The Pakistan expansion aligns with the airline’s broader strategy to grow its international footprint. According to CEO Steven Greenway, the LCC aims for international services to account for half of its total network over the next few years.
Riyadh–Sialkot is currently unserved following Pakistan International Airlines’ exit from the route in late 2023, meaning Flyadeal will become the only carrier operating the route when service begins on Aug. 26. On the other new routes, the airline will face competition from carriers including parent Saudia as well as Airblue, Flynas, Pakistan International Airlines and Serene Air.
Flyadeal’s expansion comes as the Saudi Arabia–Pakistan market continues to grow. According to Sabre Market Intelligence, there were 5.9 million two-way passengers between the two countries in 2024, up 5% from the previous year. Jeddah–Karachi was the largest city pair with 901,500 passengers, followed by Jeddah–Lahore with 840,000 and Jeddah–Islamabad with 688,000.
Data from OAG Schedules Analyser shows that total two-way seat capacity between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in July 2025 has reached 660,500, up from 485,200 in July 2024. Pakistan is now the third-largest international market from Saudi Arabia by capacity and Saudi Arabia ranks as the second-largest from Pakistan.
The expansion also reflects broader trends in the Saudi market, which continues to benefit from increasing religious travel, labor migration and the kingdom’s push to diversify its economy under Vision 2030. Pakistan also has the second-largest expatriate community in Saudi Arabia, with an estimated 2.64 million nationals living and working in the country, meaning demand for VFR travel remains strong.
Flyadeal currently operates 41 A320-family aircraft, CAPA Fleet Database shows, as well as three A330s. The airline is planning a major fleet expansion to 98 aircraft over the next four and a half years, including the addition of A321neo and A330neo aircraft, which will support further international expansion.
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