Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, marked the 35th anniversary of its inaugural flight connecting Saudi Arabia and Washington. In honor of this milestone, guests received commemorative keepsakes, distributed at the departure terminal at Washington Dulles International Airport. Additionally, special announcements were made on board to acknowledge and celebrate this momentous occasion.

During the airport celebration, Hisham Khalifa, Lead Agent for Customer Services, who was present during the first Saudia flight, was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation by Khaled Alehedeb, Regional Saudia Manager for North & South America.

“It is very fitting that we recognize an employee, still with us after 35 years, during a day when we celebrate the very first flight to land in this great city, 35 years ago,” said Mr. Alehedeb. “This is a testament to Saudia’s commitment to its customers as well as its employees.”

Since the inauguration of flights to Washington in 1988, Saudia’s air connectivity has played a key role in enhancing relations between the two nations and reinforcing vital sectors, including business, tourism, and finance. Additionally, Saudia has extended its services to provide exceptional travel experience for students studying abroad, in Washington, and their families, as well as to Hajj and Umrah pilgrims from the Muslim community there.

In 2023, Saudia carried more than 152,800 guests on 665 flights connecting the Kingdom and Washington. The current flight schedule comprises of 14 weekly flights, including eight flights to and from Jeddah, and six flights to and from Riyadh. All these flights are operated by Saudia’s Boeing 777, featuring fully enclosed first class suites for an enhanced travel experience.