Tourism Breaking News
SAUDIA signed an agreement with AEGEAN to expand their codeshare. The agreement will enable guests of both airlines to reach new destinations. Through AEGEAN, guests can reach 47 countries at 156 destinations, such as Zagreb in Croatia and Tirana in Albania, as well as Santorini and Rhodes in Greece. Guests of AEGEAN will also benefit from access to domestic destinations in conjunction with the tourism movement witnessed in various regions of the Kingdom. The agreement adds numerous benefits for SAUDIA’s guests as well as AEGEAN passengers, including the expansion and growth of the flight network. Additionally, it includes transit visa services, which can be issued through digital channels by SAUDIA in collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, allowing guests from around the world to stopover for up to 96 hours.
The agreement was signed during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) held at the Dubai World Trade Center by the Chief Commercial Officer of SAUDIA, Arved Von Zur Muehlen and Network Planning and Airline Partnerships Director AEGEAN, Yannis Rasoglou, by which SAUDIA’s guests and AEGEAN’s passengers will benefit from a wide range of privileges, starting with reservations and ticket issuance, in addition to fast and smooth transfers between flights with a single ticket. Moreover, they will enjoy the convenience of checking in their luggage to their final destination and benefiting from a reciprocal rewards program where miles can be collected to upgrade membership.
Arved Von Zur Muehlen, the Chief Commercial Officer of Saudia, said: “This new codeshare agreement with AEGEAN is a significant step forward in expanding our network and offering a wider range of travel options. Not only will Saudia’s guests enjoy seamless connections to exciting new destinations, but they will also benefit from convenient services like digital transit visas and a reciprocal rewards program. We are confident this collaboration will contribute to the growth of tourism in both Saudi Arabia and Greece”.
Yannis Rasoglou, Network Planning and Airline Partnerships Director AEGEAN, stated: “We are very pleased to announce the commencement of a codeshare partnership with Saudia, the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia. Following AEGEAN’s 10 years of presence in Saudi Arabia with flights between Athens and Riyadh, Jeddah and through this agreement we will be able to enhance the options to the increased needs of our customers and strengthen the mutual goal of increasing traffic between the two countries with direct services. AEGEAN intends to continue its investment in Saudi Arabia by the introduction of more year-round frequencies but also with upgraded aircraft from 2026 onwards”.
Codeshare agreements contribute to achieving Saudia’s objectives by continuing its efforts to connect the world to the Kingdom, coupled with qualitative initiatives to enhance the travel experience through both ground and air services and products, in addition to aligning with the initiatives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy by increasing air connectivity to more than 250 destinations by 2030, and keeping pace with the targets of the Saudi Ministry of Tourism of reaching 150 million visits by 2030.
