Effective 5 January 2026, the airline will begin three weekly flights to Hail (HAS), marking it as the 13th Saudi city in its network. In addition, Qatar Airways will increase its daily flights to Jeddah (JED) and Riyadh (RUH) from six to seven, strengthening connectivity between Saudi Arabia and the airline’s global hub in Doha.
Expanding presence across Saudi Arabia
“At Qatar Airways, we are proud to see our presence continually grow in both scale and significance across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, Group Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways. “Our network now spans every major region of the Kingdom, and over the past 12 months, we have connected nearly 2.5 million passengers in the Kingdom to our global network. This reflects the level of trust travellers in Saudi Arabia place in our airline and the excellence of our services across the Saudi market.”
This expansion underscores Qatar Airways’ long-term commitment to the Saudi market, aligning with its strategy to enhance regional connectivity and meet the growing demand for business, leisure, and religious travel.
New Hail route details
Flights between Doha and Hail International Airport (HAS) will operate every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday as follows:
- QR1228: Doha (DOH) – Hail (HAS): Departure 14:20; Arrival 16:30
- QR1229: Hail (HAS) – Doha (DOH): Departure 17:30; Arrival 19:25
The new route follows a series of network developments in 2025, including the resumption of flights to Abha and the launch of services to The Red Sea in October, making Qatar Airways the first international carrier to connect The Red Sea to over 170 global destinations.
13 destinations, 150 weekly flights
With the addition of Hail, Qatar Airways’ Saudi network will encompass 13 cities served by more than 150 weekly flights, offering seamless connections to the airline’s extensive global network of over 170 destinations via Hamad International Airport (DOH).
The Doha hub, recognized by Skytrax as the Best Airport in the Middle East for the 11th consecutive year and World’s Best Airport in 2021, 2022, and 2024, continues to enhance its role as a leading gateway for international travelers.
Members of the Qatar Airways Privilege Club can collect Avios on flights, shopping, and dining at Qatar Duty Free, redeeming them for a range of travel and lifestyle rewards, including exclusive experiences through the Privilege Club Collection.
With this latest expansion, Qatar Airways reinforces its position as a global leader in air connectivity, offering Saudi travellers enhanced access to destinations across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Bookings for the new route are now open on qatarairways.com and via the Qatar Airways mobile app.
Tags: Saudi Arabia, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, Qatar Airways
