Flydubai to launch biweekly route to the Red Sea destination from Dubai international

Saturday, April 6, 2024

Red Sea Global (RSG), the force behind transformative tourism hubs The Red Sea and AMAALA, has revealed its readiness to receive the inaugural international flight at Red Sea International Airport (RSI).

Operated by flydubai, the flight originating from Dubai International (DXB) is scheduled to touch down on Thursday, 18 April, heralding the commencement of a new biweekly route to The Red Sea. Since September 2023, Saudia has been operating regular domestic flights to RSI. With the introduction of flydubai, the frequency of flights to RSI will increase to eight per week.

“Situated within three hours flying time of 250 million people, RSI will serve one million guests a year at full capacity. Our inaugural flight just six months ago was the start of our journey towards reaching that goal, and this first international flight is a further step in making Saudi Arabia one of the top tourism destinations globally. We are looking forward to truly opening up to the world and welcoming visitors from the UAE, wider Middle East region and beyond,”

Pagano emphasized, “RSI also plays a crucial role in facilitating connectivity for our workforce, collaborators, and the broader local populace.”

Michael White, Chief Commercial Officer of Red Sea International Airport, said: “The arrival of international travelers represents an exciting next phase in RSI’s development, following our first domestic flights touching down in September last year. We are committed to providing exceptional services to passengers and airlines alike and we look forward to further expanding our network to serve The Red Sea and travelers from around the world.” 

RSI was established to offer a convenient gateway for travelers headed to The Red Sea. Presently, two opulent resorts adorn the destination: Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea, and St. The Regis Red Sea Resort, where the esteemed footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and his family were recently accommodated. Additionally, three more resorts are slated to open this year, including Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve – one of only seven worldwide – in the upcoming weeks, followed by Shebara, boasting extraordinary overwater stainless steel villas, and Desert Rock, a breathtaking resort nestled amid the mountains.

RSI is on course to become the Middle East’s inaugural carbon-neutral airport. Cutting-edge sustainability measures are being implemented across all operations to eliminate and offset carbon emissions, optimize energy consumption, and enhance efficiencies in resource and waste management. These initiatives involve using local materials during the design phase, incorporating 100% renewable energy for the building to meet the minimum LEED Gold Certification standard, and minimizing light pollution in compliance with the Dark Sky Guidelines.

Another hallmark of RSI’s innovative design is its terminal, set to fully open next year. It is divided into five ‘mini terminals’ that can function independently or concurrently based on demand, thus reducing energy consumption compared to a conventional centralized terminal approach.

Sudhir Sreedharan, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations (UAE, GCC, Subcontinent and Africa) at flydubai, said: “flydubai becomes the first carrier to operate to Red Sea International from the UAE, offering passengers direct access to Saudi Arabia’s resorts at The Red Sea destination. This underscores our commitment to opening up underserved markets and further connecting the regions we operate to via Dubai’s aviation hub.”

Upon its full completion in 2030, The Red Sea will boast 50 resorts, offering over 8,000 hotel rooms and more than 1,000 residential properties across 22 islands and six inland sites. The destination will also feature luxury marinas, golf courses, entertainment venues, F&B outlets, and leisure facilities.

The Red Sea destination is powered by off-grid resources, including five solar farms comprising 760,000 panels, along with one of the world’s largest operational battery storage facilities.

« Back to Page