Air India Express launches direct flights from Bengaluru to Jeddah, Kuwait, and Riyadh

Air India Express has expanded its international footprint from Bengaluru with the launch of new direct flights to three key destinations in the Middle East, Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. The new routes mark a significant strengthening of Bengaluru’s position as the airline’s largest hub, offering direct connectivity to 35 domestic and 7 international destinations. Services to Jeddah will commence on October 26, 2025, while flights to Riyadh and Kuwait will begin on October 27, 2025.

The airline has rolled out attractive inaugural fares for these routes

• Bengaluru–Riyadh: from ₹13,500 (505 SAR from Riyadh)
• Bengaluru–Jeddah: from ₹19,500 (570 SAR from Jeddah)
• Bengaluru–Kuwait: from ₹13,600 (27 KWD from Kuwait)

Tickets are available through the airline’s website (airindiaexpress.com), mobile app, and major travel booking platforms.

The detailed flight schedules are as follows (all timings local)

Bengaluru – Jeddah (effective Oct 26, 2025)

• Departure: 17:45 | Arrival: 21:30 | Days: Mon, Thu, Sun
• Return: 22:30 | Arrival: 06:40 (+1) | Days: Mon, Thu, Sun

Bengaluru – Kuwait (effective Oct 27, 2025)

• Departure: 22:20 | Arrival: 00:50 | Days: Mon, Tue, Thu
• Return (from Oct 28): 01:50 | Arrival: 09:20 | Days: Tue, Wed, Fri

Bengaluru – Riyadh (effective Oct 27, 2025)

• Departure: 21:00 | Arrival: 00:20 (+1) | Days: Mon, Wed, Fri
• Return (from Oct 28): 01:20 | Arrival: 08:55 | Days: Tue, Thu, Sat

The launch of these services caters to multiple segments of travellers, including Indian expatriates living in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, business professionals travelling between South India and the Gulf, families and leisure travellers visiting relatives and exploring the region, and pilgrims heading to Jeddah for Umrah, given the city’s proximity to Mecca. The airline also expects growing demand from Indian traveller’s keen to explore Saudi Arabia’s emerging cultural and heritage tourism offerings, in line with the Kingdom’s tourism diversification drive. Passengers from Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kannur, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Tiruchirappalli will also benefit, with convenient connections via Bengaluru.

This announcement comes on the back of rapid network expansion by Air India Express from Bengaluru. Over the past months, the airline has added new flights to Kathmandu, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, and Dehradun. Upcoming launches include Bangkok on October 18, 2025, and Jodhpur and Udaipur on November 1, 2025.

Currently, the carrier operates over 440 weekly flights from Bengaluru, directly connecting to 35 domestic destinations such as Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Goa, and Port Blair, along with seven international cities including Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Kathmandu, and now Jeddah, Riyadh, and Kuwait. With this expansion, Air India Express has firmly positioned Bengaluru as a key South India hub for both domestic and international travel.