Saudi Arabia is open to international tourism
Saudi Arabia allows foreign travelers to enter the country, as long as they are fully vaccinated (with a booster). Arrivals to Saudi Arabia are not required to quarantine, or present evidence of a negative Covid test result. Some places may still require proof of vaccination.
Transit through Saudi airports is permitted, although you may need a transit visa if the connecting time between your flights is more than 12 hours.
Arriving in Jeddah
- If you are flying to Jeddah from abroad, you will most likely land at its main international airport — Jeddah International Airport
JEDalso known as King Abdulaziz International Airport, situated on the Red Sea coast, approximately 19 kilometers (12 miles) to the north of Jeddah city center.
Jeddah International Airport is also the main airport for the majority of pilgrims traveling for Umrah and Hajj. It's the closest major airport to Mecca, located approximately 70 kilometers (43 miles) from the holy city. The airport is equipped to handle large numbers of travelers, and there are regular shuttle buses and taxis available to take passengers from the airport to Mecca. - Planning to explore the region? Popular destinations can be easily reached with regional low-cost carriers (LCCs) by the likes of Air Arabia, Air India Express, AirAsia, Indigo, Jazeera Airways, Pegasus Airlines, Salamair, Scoot, and SpiceJet. However, the “no-frills” carrier may not provide free checked baggage allowance, complimentary food, in-flight entertainment systems, and fast customer support. You may not even get to choose your seats, unless you pay extra.
Airports of Jeddah
JED, situated on the Red Sea coast, approximately 19 km (12 miles) north of the city center, and 70 km (43 miles) west of Mecca. Travelers to Mecca can also use Ta'if International Airport TIF in the nearby city of Taif (around 105 km / 65 miles from Mecca) or Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport MED in Medina (around 450 km / 280 miles long road trip to Mecca).
What is the best time to book flights to Jeddah?
The best time to book flights to Jeddah is between 2 to 8 months before your travel date. The prime booking window (the most likely time to find the bargains) for Jeddah flights is 4–6 months before takeoff. During this period, you should monitor airfares by setting alerts on popular flight search websites. Book when you notice a significant drop in price.
Why do prices fluctuate?
Airfare prices for Jeddah flights fluctuate due to demand, seasonal trends, and competition, causing numerous price drops and increases as your departure date approaches. The airlines use sophisticated revenue management systems to adjust pricing for optimal seat sales. Generally, as seats are sold, prices tend to become more expensive.
Don’t book too early
Most airlines start selling their flights 9–12 months in advance. However, booking a ticket too early in that window can be an expensive mistake – airlines typically start by setting prices at a relatively high level to capture early demand from those willing to pay more to secure their seats
Prime Booking Window
For long-haul flights to Jeddah, the best time to book your ticket is around 4–6 months before departure. It is the “Prime Booking Window” – after some seats have already been sold, airlines start dropping prices to stimulate demand. They may also offer promotions and sales. This is the ideal time for bargain hunting.
Fly on weekdays
It makes a difference which day of the week you board the plane. Midweek travel (especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays) is less busy and likely cheaper than flying on weekends. Airlines charge higher prices for weekend travel due to the high demand from people going on short getaways or visiting family and friends.
Opt for early morning flights
To save on airfare, select a late night or early morning (1–5 am) flight. Airlines often offer discounts on their first flight of the morning (up to 15-20%) simply because of lower demand – most people are not willing to go to the airport so early. Moreover, morning flights tend to have fewer delays, and airport queues are usually shorter.
Set alerts
Track flight price fluctuations for your desired routes to Jeddah using email alerts on search sites like Google Flights to catch price drops. These drops will be your chance to book the flight at its best price.
Avoid last minute
Avoid booking flights to Jeddah less than 30 days before takeoff. Prices spike sharply then, as airlines are taking advantage of any last-minute travelers who have no choice but to pay up (learn more about last-minute pricing).
Peak seasons are expensive
Peak travel seasons are always expensive – due to higher base prices set by airlines for dates they expect to be popular. Try to avoid the high season during summer and major holidays (including holidays in Saudi Arabia), and check the best time to fly to Jeddah. If you must travel during peak times, book a bit earlier – 6 to 8 months in advance.
Join ATC
A useful way to find discounted airfare is to sign up for a deal newsletter such as Air Traveler Club. The ATC team is constantly looking for price drops on popular routes, and we share them with our members free of charge.
Low-cost flights from Jeddah
Stay ahead of the game. Fly to popular destinations at a fraction of the regular fare.
Winter is the best time to visit Jeddah
Middle East countries, like Saudi Arabia, are extremely hot from April to September. Much of Saudi Arabia’s territory is occupied by the Arabian Desert – during the summer months, daytime temperatures in some regions around Jeddah can be as high as +45-50°C.
So, if you have a choice, plan your trip to Jeddah for the period from October to April for cooler weather with daytime temperates of around 25° C, and cool evenings and nights (+5°C to +12°C). However, as these are the best months for tourists, Jeddah sees a sharp spike in tourist footfall – make sure to reserve your flights, hotels, and rental car well in advance.
Why is there no airport in Mecca?
Mecca is a populous city with approximately 1.5 million inhabitants. Additionally, each year nearly 10 million Muslims visit the city to perform Umrah and Hajj pilgrimage. Despite this large number of visitors, Mecca lacks an airport. Instead, the Saudi Arabian government has opted to develop airports in the nearby cities of Jeddah, Taif, and Medina.
The absence of an airport in Mecca is due to religious customs and regulations. According to Islamic tradition, Mecca is a holy city, and its airspace is considered sacred. The city is home to several historical and religious sites, such as the Kaaba shrine, the holiest place in Islam. To respect the sanctity of the city and its religious significance and not disturb the pilgrims, airlines are prohibited from flying over Mecca or landing in the city.
Additionally, only Muslims are allowed to enter the city of Mecca. The prohibition includes the airspace above the city – it’s forbidden for non-Muslims to fly over Mecca. This is another reason why all flights over Mecca are banned with almost no exceptions (sometimes helicopters are allowed to pass over the city).
There is a project in progress to build a new smart city to the west of Mecca, close to the Al-Faisaliah area. It will include a brand-new Al-Faisaliah Airport, which will be connected to nearby areas by a four-lane highway, and will cater to pilgrims traveling to Mecca. However, there is no known timeline for when the new airport will be open to the public.
The cheapest time to fly to Jeddah
The best time to find cheap flights to Jeddah tends to be during the low season – June to September. It’s the country’s hot season and also an off-peak tourism season with high temperatures and significantly fewer visitors. Everything – including airline tickets – is cheaper.
Flying to Jeddah in the peak season – October to April – will prove the most costly. These are Saudi winter months when the weather is pleasant and cool and the country sees an influx of tourists. Book your flights well in advance to avoid inflated last-minute fares.
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Ready-to-book promotions, sales and discounts from 100+ airlines
Flight sales and promotions to Jeddah
Flight promotions, ticket sales, student discounts, and airline promo codes are your best bet for saving on airfares to Jeddah. These special offers can save hundreds of dollars or give you free travel perks like seat upgrades or extra checked baggage.
OTAs miss out on most sales
Airlines flying to Jeddah often use sales and promotions as key marketing tools to attract and retain customers while boosting seat occupancy. However, when you search for airfares on popular OTA websites like Expedia, Kayak, or Skyscanner, you won’t find these heavily discounted tickets there. Airlines often reserve the most aggressive or enticing promotions for their own direct sales channels — primarily their websites.
How to find Jeddah promotions?
To take advantage of promotional flights to Jeddah — including special codes, vouchers, student discounts, and even flights discounted by up to 50% — your best strategy is to check airline websites consistently. You can also follow their social media channels and subscribe to newsletters from leading carriers.
The catch
That being said, finding truly valuable promotions can be tricky, as the uncomfortable details are often hidden in the fine print. Many sales are limited to unpopular routes, with inconvenient layovers or blackout dates. Some promotions come with strings attached or conditions that are difficult to match.
Top promotions from 100+ airlines
That’s where our team steps in. We do all the heavy lifting for you, keeping track of all ongoing sales and promotions from more than 100 airlines! We vet each sale, discount, or promotion and ensure that only quality offers with authentic value make it onto our final list.
Jeddah flight promotions can often be found among our list of best airline discounts — emailed weekly to 110,000 Air Traveler Club subscribers.
Flights to Jeddah from United States and Canada
- There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to Jeddah. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Jeddah, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop. Most direct flights from the US to Jeddah are operated by Saudia (formerly Saudi Arabian Airlines). Non-stop flights from New York, Los Angeles and Washington to King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah are around 12-15 hours long, with ticket prices ranging from $700 to $900 for a one-way flight.
There are no direct flights to Jeddah from Canada. - Jeddah is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to Jeddah with one layover depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta
ATL, DallasDFW, DenverDEN, ChicagoORD, Los AngelesLAX, Las VegasDFW, MiamiMIA, SeattleSEA, HoustonIAH, New YorkJFK, and San FranciscoSFOin the United States and TorontoYYZ, VancouverYVR, CalgaryLAS, and MontrealYULin Canada. - The best airlines to fly to Jeddah from the US and Canada are: Emirates, ANA, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Saudia, and Singapore Airlines. They are top full-service carriers, offering exceptional customer service, in-flight comfort, a generous checked baggage allowance, and reliable customer support channels – all included in the ticket price.
Best aircraft for long-haul flights to Jeddah
For long-haul flights, the aircraft type can make a huge difference to your overall comfort on board — especially if you’re flying economy. The best aircraft have comfier seats with more legroom, USB charging ports, WiFi connectivity, superior entertainment systems, and a better passenger experience in every cabin.
When booking a flight to Jeddah, it’s worth spending a few minutes researching the type of aircraft you’ll be flying on. Look for airlines that use wide-body planes designed for long-haul flights, such as:
- Airbus A350. Best choice. Known for its advanced air filtration and higher cabin pressure, which enhance overall passenger well-being. Operated by Delta Air Lines, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines.
- Airbus A380. Offers unparalleled spaciousness and amenities like onboard lounges and shower spas in premium classes. Used by non-US airlines such as Emirates, Qantas, Lufthansa, and British Airways.
- Boeing 767. Often features a 2-3-2 seating configuration in economy, reducing the number of middle seats. The largest operators are Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Japan Airlines and ANA.
- Boeing 777. Renowned for its wide cabin, it offers a sense of spaciousness and often includes advanced in-flight entertainment options. Used by American Airlines, United Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Korean Air, and Air France.
- 787 Dreamliner. Celebrated for its larger windows and dynamic lighting, designed to help regulate passengers’ circadian rhythms and reduce jet lag. Operated by Air Canada, American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, and Etihad Airways.
Long waiting times when calling the helpline?
Social media is usually a faster way to reach the airline when a problem arises. Use Twitter or Facebook Messenger to contact the airline customer service and get a response and solution within minutes (see detailed guides for Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, and others).
When it comes to Twitter, there’s one more trick to get in touch with the airline faster: mention the airline in a tweet about your issue (add “@airline_handle”, for example: “@Saudi_Airlines” for Saudi, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia). The customer care team will often notice it immediately, ask you for a direct message, and respond privately.
Booking cheap Hajj and Umrah flights to Mecca
94% of international pilgrims travel to Mecca by plane to perform the annual Hajj. As there is no option to fly to Mecca, most choose to arrive at the King Abdulaziz International Airport JED in Jeddah, around 80km to the west of Mecca. It has a dedicated Hajj terminal, and during the pilgrimage season many airlines operate additional services to Jeddah.
The other option is to fly to Medina first (Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport MED), visit al-Masjid an-Nabawi (the Prophet’s Mosque), then proceed to Mecca by taking a 450 km long road trip.
It’s not surprising that cheap flights to Saudi Arabia from any airport in the world are hard to come by during Dhu al-Hijjah. Flights and hotels are booked up months in advance. The best way to guarantee fairly priced Hajj flights is to book them as early as possible.
Download a VPN app
When it comes to media censorship, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the world leaders – there is no freedom of speech, and online content is censored. Moreover, the Saudi government reserves the right to control and monitor anyone accessing the internet, which means that you could be spied on at any time. In the last years, thousands of websites and online services have been banned temporarily or permanently, including Wikipedia, WhatsApp, Skype, FaceTime, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, and Google Translator.
Solution? If you want to keep access to your favorite websites and avoid being spied on while visiting Jeddah or Mecca, you should download a VPN app for your smartphone and laptop. By hiding your location, it will allow you to bypass government censorship and freely access all blocked content. Make sure to install it before you arrive – VPN websites are also blocked (however, using a VPN is not illegal).
Know your time zone
When checking flights and airport transfer times, ensure you know the local time zones. The departure/arrival times on your plane ticket and boarding pass are based on the time zone of the departure/arrival airport – this also applies to the connecting (layover) airports.
Saudi Arabia has only one time zone – it observes Arabia Standard Time (AST) all year, which is GMT/UTC+3 time zone. There are no daylight saving time clock changes.
Jeddah is 8 hours ahead of New York, and 8 hours behind Sydney. Arabia Standard Time is also used by Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar.
Flights to Jeddah from UK, Germany, France, Netherlands and other countries in Europe
- There are no direct flights from Europe to Jeddah — you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in the Middle East or in Asia. Direct flights from Europe to Jeddah (King Abdulaziz International Airport) are operated by Aegean Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa, Saudia, Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Wizz Air.
- Airlines that frequently fly from the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries to Jeddah include Aegean Airlines, Air France, British Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Iberia, KLM, Qatar Airways, Saudia, and Turkish Airlines.
- Consider departure airports in neighboring countries to increase your chance of spotting the best deal. Especially look for large airports that serve as hubs for multiple airlines. For example, if you live in Western Europe, check air tickets to Jeddah from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome. Leverage frequent promotions from European budget carriers like RyanAir, EasyJet, and Eurowings to reach a major hub; from there, take a cheaper long-haul flight to your final destination, potentially saving hundreds of euros.
- These major European airports are excellent departure points for trips to Jeddah: London
LHRand ManchesterMANin the United Kingdom, FrankfurtFRAand MunichMUCin Germany, ParisCDGand NiceNCEin France, AmsterdamAMSin the Netherlands, MadridMADand BarcelonaBCNin Spain, RomeFCOand MilanoMXPin Italy, BrusselsBRUin Belgium, CopenhagenOSLin Denmark, OsloOSLin Norway, StockholmARNin Sweden, ZurichZRHin Switzerland, LisbonLISin Portugal, ViennaVIEin Austria, WarsawWAWin Poland, PraguePRGin the Czech Republic, and DublinDUBin Ireland.
Jeddah flight deals. How to book the best fares?
Our go-to solution for finding and booking the best deals to Jeddah is Google Flights. Whenever we send SuperDeals to 110,000 members of Air Traveler Club, we include links to Google Flights so each deal can be secured immediately.
Google Flights’ powerful engine simplifies deal hunting. It searches and compares flight prices available from airlines and online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia, Opodo, or eDreams. However, it doesn’t sell flights directly to travelers—instead, it passes users on to the airline or OTA to book directly with them.
How to know if the Jeddah deal we sent you is actually saving you money? One of Google Flights’ standout features is a color-coded bar underneath the booking options. This bar provides a visual representation of the price compared to the typical fare (for the same route, class, and airline)—indicating whether it is lower, average, or higher. If the marker falls within the green zone (“price is low”), don’t hesitate to secure this deal as it is significantly — 40% to 80% — cheaper than average and unlikely to drop further.
If you see that your flight has the marker within the orange zone (“price is typical”) or in the red zone (“price is higher”), it means that the deal has already ‘expired’. Airfare deals often ‘expire’ because airlines frequently move cheaper flights further away from the departure date. This is when the Google Flights Price Graph tool comes in handy:
Using this tool, you can experiment with various dates and trip lengths. This perfect deal to Jeddah may still be available — but for different date combinations.
Last-minute flights to Jeddah. The real cost of convenience.
Last-minute flights are often touted as a great way to save money, but the reality is far from it. Booking last-minute flights to Jeddah almost always never works out. The convenience of being able to book a flight on the fly is a dangerous game of chance, and you will most likely end up paying significantly higher than booking in advance.
The common perception may be that airlines decrease ticket prices to fill empty seats as the departure date approaches. However, the truth is that airfares depend on demand. Based on years of research and current customer data, the airlines know what people are willing to pay for specific flights and dates. They are also well aware that people are willing to pay a premium for flights they need to take immediately. To make the most money, the airline will sell its cheapest fares first and then increase the prices right before the flight to take advantage of business travelers and others who are willing to pay the premium price for late booking.
Occasionally, airlines can put some seats on sale to fill the remaining seats, but these are for unusual times and unpopular places. Popular destinations and dates around peak travel times tend to sell out quickly.
Planning ahead is key to securing a good deal on your flight. Last-minute flight deals are hard to come by, so as soon as you have a tentative travel timeline, book your flight. The earlier you book, the more likely you are to save money. If you are looking for a good deal, the best time to book your flight to Jeddah is 2-8 months before the takeoff.
Looking for the best deals for Jeddah? Check different departure airports.
Airlines often have varying prices for flights to Jeddah from different airports – even if they are in close proximity to one another. So don’t limit yourself to just your nearest airport. The neighboring cities may have lower-priced flights that include a layover at Jeddah, or may even have direct flights that are more budget-friendly.
For example, if you’re looking to fly from Paris to Jeddah, it may be worth checking prices for flights departing from London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, or Rome. Yes, you may have to fly a few hundred kilometers to these hubs, but domestic low-cost airlines like EasyJet, RyanAir, or WizzAir will happily take you there for less than €100.
The same goes for long-haul flights to Jeddah from anywhere in the world. By broadening your search to include neighboring airports, you may discover lower-priced options that can save you hundreds of euros!
Domestic flights from Jeddah
Most domestic routes in Saudi Arabia are operated by local carriers. When traveling to popular tourist destinations such as Mecca, Riyadh, Dammam, Medina from Jeddah Airport, you’ll likely fly with one of these domestic airlines: Saudia, Flyadeal, Flynas, SaudiGulf, Nesma Airlines.
This is often the best transportation method, providing speed, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. Local airlines often offer multiple daily flights to key destinations, providing flexibility in scheduling and competitive pricing. They also serve smaller regional airports, enabling access to a wider range of Saudi destinations.
Flights to Jeddah from Australia and New Zealand
- Australia and New Zealand are well-connected with popular Asian destinations, including Jeddah. In addition to domestic airlines – Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand – routes from Australasia to Asia are operated by large international carriers such as ANA, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways.
Currently, there are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand to Jeddah. You’ll need a layover in one of the major hubs in Asia. - Airfare costs can vary widely depending on the route and the airline’s pricing strategy. To find the cheapest flight to Jeddah, compare ticket prices from various international airports in Australia – Sydney
SYD, BrisbaneBNE, MelbourneMEL, PerthPER, AdelaideADL, CairnsCNS, Gold CoastOOL, CanberraCBR, and in New Zealand – AucklandAKL, WellingtonWLG, ChristchurchCHC, QueenstownZQN, and DunedinDUD. - For optimal savings, consider flying from Australia or New Zealand to a key Asian hub, then connect to Jeddah via a regional low-cost carrier. Among budget airlines that fly to Jeddah are Air Arabia, Air India Express, AirAsia, Indigo, Jazeera Airways, Pegasus Airlines, Salamair, Scoot, and SpiceJet.
For the first leg, use the budget carriers that fly out of Australian airports, leveraging sales and promotions they run frequently: AirAsia (connects with Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore), Cebu Pacific (Manila), Jetstar (Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo), Scoot (Singapore), VietJet Air (Ho Chi Minh City), Bamboo Airways (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing), and Batik Air (Jakarta, Singapore).
“Hot seats” on long-haul flights
Those days seat selection is considered an optional, extra paid service – seats with extra legroom (front and exit rows) are usually priced higher. However, if you’re about to take a long-haul flight to Jeddah, those “hot seats” are worth considering – expect to pay $50-$100, which is much less than upgrading to Premium Economy.
If you want to choose your seats, do this early (ideally during the booking) for a more extensive selection of available options.
Booking group flights to Jeddah
Flights are cheaper when purchased in bulk rather than as individual tickets. Booking group flights to Jeddah can be a cost-effective option for a school trip, family reunion, or corporate group traveling to a conference.
To qualify for the special group rate, the group must usually have at least 10 passengers. Discounts depend on the airline, group size, and travel dates, and typically range from 5% to 20% off the regular airfare.
Airlines and flight search websites typically limit automatic group bookings to 10 passengers. This limit reflects the complexity of managing larger groups, which require personalized service and more time to coordinate. To get the price quote for your group, you’ll need to contact the airline or a travel agent directly.
If you’re open to different airlines or want more personalized service, a travel agent may be a better choice. Travel agents may have access to discounted group rates to Jeddah and can help with logistics and scheduling.
Flights to Jeddah from Bali, Bangkok, Delhi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, and other major hubs in Asia
- Jeddah is well-connected with other large hubs in the Asia Pacific. There are direct flights to King Abdulaziz International Airport
JEDairport from Abu Dhabi, BangkokBKK, DelhiDEL, DhakaDAC, GuangzhouCAN, JakartaCGK, Kuala LumpurKUL, MaleMLE, MumbaiBOM, SeoulICN, and SingaporeSIN. - Asia is probably the best continent for short-haul and mid-haul flying. The sheer scale of this most populous region on Earth is reflected in the type of aircraft operating many shorter routes: intra-Asia flyers benefit from comfortable, wide-bodied aircraft by the likes of Boeing 777, 787 or Airbus A350, A330, and A380. When booking your flight to Jeddah look for these bigger planes as they will almost always give you the best experience in every cabin, including better seat pitches, higher ceilings, and larger overhead bin space.
- Asia is also home to most of the world’s best airlines. There are only ten airlines that received the prestigious 5-star mark of quality from Skytrax, and all of them are from Asia: ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines. Choosing one of these airlines for your trip to Jeddah will guarantee a pleasant journey – delicious meals served during the flight, great in-flight entertainment, and above-average airline customer service.
- Asia is extremely well served by low-cost regional airlines. If you are visiting Saudi Arabia and want to see several other countries on a tight budget, they often have great sales with rock-bottom prices, while still offering a relatively comfortable flight experience. Among the best Asian budget airlines you can book without hesitation are AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Citilink, FlyDubai, Indigo, Jetstar Airways, Scoot, SpiceJet, and VietJet Air. The cons? Being no-frills airlines they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight meals, or onboard entertainment. The departure times may also be quite inconvenient as they try to save money by flying at off-peak hours.
- Most major Asian airports have convenient and frequent flights to Jeddah — including Changi (Singapore), Dubai (UAE), Hong Kong (China), Incheon (Seoul, South Korea), Indira Gandhi (New Delhi, India), KLIA (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), Narita (Tokyo, Japan), Denpasar (Bali, Indonesia), Soekarno–Hatta (Jakarta, Indonesia), Ninoy Aquino (Manila, Philippines), Suvarnabhumi (Bangkok, Thailand), Taoyuan (Taipei, Taiwan), and others.
Proof of onward travel – a simple hack
Travelers who go on long trips often don’t have a set itinerary and fly on one-way tickets. The problem? For many APAC countries, proof of onward travel is a legal requirement. If you arrive at the airport without an onward ticket (from Saudi Arabia to another country), you’ll either be forced to buy one online or forbidden from boarding the plane altogether.
The cheapest solution? Renting an onward ticket! Use the websites such as OneWayFly or OnwardTicket to get a flight reservation for a limited amount of time (usually 2 to 14 days). They work by actually booking you on a real flight out of Saudi Arabia and giving you a confirmable flight reservation with a PNR (Passenger Name Record) under your name. After the time limit, your spot on the flight is automatically canceled. Such “temporary tickets” tend to cost anywhere from $10 to $20.
Fly now, pay later
Book Now Pay Later (BNPL) plans for flights have become a popular trend in the travel industry, allowing travelers to book flights and pay in installments. Among the airlines that offer this option are American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Qantas, Turkish Airlines, and United Airlines. They partner with external financial companies to offer their loan services on the checkout page.
The BNPL plans come with varying terms and fees. Some may be interest-free but have fees for late-payments and require forced autoplay on your bank account, while others may have high annual percentage rates (up to 30-40% APR).
When considering BNPL financing for your flight to Jeddah, it’s crucial to carefully evaluate the pros and cons, and thoroughly review the terms and conditions.