Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah welcomed on Saturday the inaugural flight of China’s Hainan Airlines, marking the launch of the first direct route between Jeddah and the Chinese city of Haikou.
The new service will operate three times per week, positioning the airport as the first in the Kingdom to offer direct connectivity to Haikou.
The launch of this route boosts air traffic between Saudi Arabia and China, reinforcing King Abdulaziz International Airport’s growing role as a global logistics hub and expanding the Kingdom’s direct air links with China.
The inaugural flight was received by Chief Executive Officer of Jeddah Airports Company Eng. Mazen bin Mohammed Johar; Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Jeddah Wang Qimin; and several officials from the Saudi Tourism Authority, the Saudi Air Connectivity Program, and various government and security sectors operating at the airport.
Hainan Airlines, ranked among the world’s top ten airlines by Skytrax, brings a new level of service to the airport. Its entry is expected to boost the quality of air travel services and contribute to providing a superior travel experience.
Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of the Saudi Tourism Authority Fahd Hamidaddin commented: “We are proud of our strategic partnership with Hainan Airlines and look forward to expanding this collaboration through targeted initiatives and promotional campaigns led by the Saudi Tourism Authority.”
The number of Chinese visitors to the Kingdom grew by 52 percent compared to last year, and that air connectivity between the two countries now includes six airlines operating 29 weekly flights. The Kingdom aims to attract five million Chinese tourists annually by 2030, he added.
Johar stated: “This significant milestone aligns with our strategy to increase the number of international destinations served by King Abdulaziz International Airport to 150 by 2030, in line with the National Aviation Strategy and Vision 2030.”
Integrating Hainan Airlines into the airport’s network strengthens Saudi–China air connectivity and supports infrastructure and service expansion efforts to meet growing global travel demand, he remarked.
CEO of the Saudi Air Connectivity Program Majid Khan described the occasion as an important step toward boosting the Kingdom’s global connectivity. “Welcoming Hainan Airlines in Jeddah reflects growing demand for travel between Saudi Arabia and China and helps foster tourism, cultural exchange, and economic ties,” he said.
He underlined the role of Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb, who also oversees the Air Connectivity Program, in positioning Saudi Arabia as an approved and attractive destination for Chinese tourists. The Chinese market is targeted to become the Kingdom’s third-largest source of inbound tourism by 2030.
The development is part of the ongoing efforts by the General Authority of Civil Aviation to strengthen international air connectivity and expand the Kingdom’s air transport network. It also supports Vision 2030’s broader objective to establish Saudi Arabia as a leading global logistics platform and open new horizons for travel and trade.
