SaudiGulf Airlines
Private airline based in Saudi Arabia
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
SaudiGulf Airlines was a Saudi passenger airline based in Dammam and associated with the privately owned Al Qahtani business group. Established in 2013 by Abdel Hadi Abdullah Al-Qahtani & Sons Group of Companies, the carrier was created during a period when Saudi Arabia was seeking to expand competition and connectivity in its commercial aviation sector. It was intended to become a significant private alternative to the country’s established national carrier, Saudia, and the privately held low-cost airline flynas. The airline’s launch was delayed by regulatory and certification issues. SaudiGulf had initially planned to begin flying in 2015, but the process of obtaining approval from the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation took longer than expected. It eventually received its air operator’s certificate on 22 June 2016. Commercial operations began on 29 October 2016, initially with twice-daily service between Dammam and Riyadh. The carrier subsequently operated domestic and international passenger services and was described as Saudi Arabia’s third international airline after Saudia and flynas. SaudiGulf positioned itself as a full-service or higher-service regional carrier rather than relying solely on the low-cost model. Its offering centered on scheduled passenger flights, airport connectivity, onboard service, and a fleet based on Airbus narrow-body aircraft. The airline’s service reputation was regarded favorably by some customers in the Saudi market, although its relatively short operating history and limited scale constrained its ability to compete with larger incumbents. Fleet planning changed as the company developed. On 28 March 2019, SaudiGulf announced that it had cancelled orders for 16 Airbus A220-300 aircraft. The airline said that an order for 10 Airbus A320neo aircraft would be a better operational fit. At least one A320neo was completed and registered as VP-CGE, but it was not delivered into airline service. The planned fleet transition reflected an effort to align aircraft capacity and economics with the carrier’s network and business requirements. The airline’s operations were suspended on 3 June 2020 during the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. SaudiGulf subsequently filed for bankruptcy and ceased operating as a commercial carrier. The company’s closure ended a short-lived attempt to establish another Saudi scheduled airline, and its failure illustrated the financial and operational pressures facing smaller carriers during the pandemic period. SaudiGulf is therefore a defunct Saudi airline rather than an active passenger brand.
History
SaudiGulf Airlines emerged in 2013 as a project of Abdel Hadi Abdullah Al-Qahtani & Sons Group of Companies, a Saudi consortium with interests in privately owned businesses. The proposed airline was based in Dammam and intended to participate in the expansion of Saudi Arabia’s commercial aviation sector. Its planned network was expected to combine domestic links with international routes, giving travelers in the Eastern Province an additional carrier option. The airline’s proposed 2015 launch did not take place because of regulatory delays involving the General Authority of Civil Aviation. SaudiGulf ultimately secured its air operator’s certificate on 22 June 2016. This authorization allowed the company to move from development and fleet planning into actual scheduled service. On 29 October 2016, it began flying, initially operating two daily flights between Dammam and Riyadh. SaudiGulf became the third Saudi airline to operate international services after Saudia and flynas. Its business model was based on scheduled passenger transportation, with Dammam serving as its principal base. The carrier was known in the market for a service proposition that some customers considered comparatively strong, helping it establish a favorable reputation despite its limited size and short operating history. It operated domestic and international routes, although the available reference material does not provide a complete route list or a definitive account of every destination served over the airline’s lifetime. Aircraft strategy was an important part of the company’s development. SaudiGulf had planned to use Airbus A220-300 aircraft, but on 28 March 2019 it announced the cancellation of 16 orders for that type. It instead referred to an order for 10 Airbus A320neo aircraft, describing the larger narrow-body model as a better match for its requirements. An A320neo was built and registered as VP-CGE, but it was not delivered for airline operations. The fleet decision indicated an attempt to revise the carrier’s growth plan and align aircraft selection with its network and commercial needs. The airline’s operating history ended during the global aviation crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic. SaudiGulf suspended operations on 3 June 2020. The suspension was followed by a bankruptcy filing, and the company did not resume commercial service. Its collapse brought an end to the brand and left SaudiGulf classified among the defunct airlines of Saudi Arabia. The carrier’s trajectory—from establishment in 2013, through delayed certification and a 2016 launch, to fleet-plan changes in 2019 and closure in 2020—captures the challenges faced by a small, privately backed airline attempting to scale in a competitive and highly regulated market.
- 2020
Operations suspended and bankruptcy follows
[1]Operations were suspended on 3 June during the COVID-19 aviation crisis, after which the company filed for bankruptcy.
- 2019
Fleet plan revised
[1]SaudiGulf cancelled orders for 16 Airbus A220-300 aircraft and announced an order for 10 Airbus A320neos.
- 2016
Air operator's certificate granted
[1]SaudiGulf received its air operator’s certificate from Saudi Arabia’s aviation regulator on 22 June.
- 2016
Commercial service begins
[1]The airline launched scheduled operations on 29 October with twice-daily Dammam–Riyadh flights.
- 2015
Planned launch delayed
[1]The planned start of operations did not occur because the airline encountered regulatory delays.
- 2013
Airline established
[1]Abdel Hadi Abdullah Al-Qahtani & Sons Group of Companies established SaudiGulf Airlines as a Saudi private airline project.
Products and positioning
A Saudi private scheduled passenger airline positioned as a service-oriented alternative to the country’s established national and low-cost carriers, with Dammam as its operating base.
Passenger aviation · 2016
Scheduled domestic passenger services
SaudiGulf operated scheduled domestic flights within Saudi Arabia. Its initial route connected Dammam and Riyadh, providing a link between the Eastern Province and the national capital. Domestic flying formed the core of the airline’s launch operation and supported its role as an additional private carrier in the Saudi market.
Passenger aviation
Scheduled international passenger services
The airline also operated international passenger services and was recognized as Saudi Arabia’s third international carrier after Saudia and flynas. The available reference material does not establish a complete list of international routes or the full duration of each route.
Aircraft fleet program · 2019
Airbus A320neo fleet program
In 2019, SaudiGulf shifted its planned fleet strategy toward 10 Airbus A320neo aircraft, stating that the type was better suited to its needs than the previously ordered A220-300. One A320neo was built and registered as VP-CGE, but it was not delivered for service before the airline suspended operations.
Brand decisions
2020
Suspend operations and enter bankruptcyOtherBackground
The COVID-19 pandemic caused extensive disruption to commercial aviation and placed severe pressure on smaller airlines.
Action taken
SaudiGulf suspended airline operations on 3 June 2020 and subsequently filed for bankruptcy.
Aftermath
The airline did not resume service and became a defunct Saudi carrier.
2019
Replace the planned A220 fleet with A320neosGeneration changeBackground
SaudiGulf had previously ordered 16 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, but the airline reassessed its fleet requirements as it developed its network and operating model.
Action taken
On 28 March 2019, the airline announced that it had cancelled the A220-300 orders and would instead pursue 10 Airbus A320neo aircraft.
Aftermath
An A320neo was built and registered as VP-CGE, but it was not delivered into SaudiGulf service before operations were suspended in 2020.
Recent events
- 2020
SaudiGulf suspends operations during the COVID-19 disruption[1]
Other
The airline suspended its operations on 3 June 2020 amid the severe disruption to commercial aviation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2020
SaudiGulf files for bankruptcy after operations cease[1]
Bankruptcy
Following the suspension of services, SaudiGulf filed for bankruptcy and became a defunct Saudi airline.
- 2019
SaudiGulf cancels Airbus A220 orders and selects A320neo aircraft[1]
Other
The airline announced the cancellation of 16 A220-300 orders and said that 10 A320neos would better suit its operating plans.
- 2016
SaudiGulf Airlines receives its air operator's certificate[1]
Regulation
SaudiGulf obtained regulatory authorization from Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation on 22 June 2016, clearing the principal certification hurdle for commercial operations.
- 2016
SaudiGulf begins commercial operations[1]
Product launch
The Dammam-based carrier launched scheduled service on 29 October 2016 with twice-daily flights linking Dammam and Riyadh.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/saudigulf-airlines · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled