Flyadeal Announces Major Airbus Aircraft Order, Accelerating Expansion
Flyadeal, the rapidly growing low-cost airline in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, recently revealed a major order for 51 narrowbody Airbus aircraft. The order comprises 12 Airbus A320neos and 39 larger A321neos, forming part of a record-setting 105 aircraft purchase by the Saudia Group, marking Saudi aviation’s largest order to date.
The announcement coincided with the opening of the Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh. The contract signing ceremony was overseen by high-ranking officials, including His Excellency Saleh Al-Jasser, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Chairman of Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation, His Excellency Eng Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, and Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus Executive Vice-President Sales.
Flyadeal’s fleet expansion, from the current 32 Airbus A320neo and CEO models to over 100 aircraft by 2030, targets tripling its size. This growth will expand its network from 30 to more than 100 domestic and international destinations within six years.
Steven Greenway, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, expressed the airline’s ambitious goals: “Today’s historic announcement is a clear statement of flyadeal’s intent as we prepare for the next phase of dynamic growth beyond 2026 when we begin taking deliveries of the new aircraft.”
Flyadeal has ambitious plans for its new fleet, particularly the A321neos, which offer flexibility on high-demand routes and slot-constrained airports. With a capacity of up to 240 seats, these aircraft represent a 30 percent increase compared to flyadeal’s current A320s. Additionally, the new-generation aircraft are environmentally friendly, providing optimum fuel efficiency, aligning with the Kingdom’s sustainability drive and Saudi Vision 2030’s objective of building a vibrant aviation industry.
Flyadeal currently operates a fleet of 21 A320neos and 11 A320ceos from three main hubs—Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam. The airline plans to gradually add an average of one aircraft per month to its fleet from an existing order until the end of 2025.
