flyadeal sees passenger growth outstrip capacity rise

Compared with the first half of 2024, the six months to June 2025 saw flyadeal passenger numbers increase 25% to just over five million which outstripped the 21% seat capacity growth.

With 33,400 flights operated – 200 daily for the first time since flyadeal’s inception in 2017 – thanks largely to a near 60 per cent increase in the number of routes flown during the six months, the airline surpassed the industry average for best On-Time Performance of any low-cost Middle East airline for six consecutive months.

In June, flyadeal was acclaimed for being the world’s most punctual airline achieving 91.77% operational performance based on flights within 15 minutes of scheduled arrival.

Operational highlights for January – June 2025 over the same period in 2024

➡        Number of passengers carried rose 25 per cent to 5.05 million

➡        Seat capacity increased 21 per cent

➡        Total flights operated were up 20 per cent to 33,400

➡        Number of routes flown went up 57 per cent to 127 from three bases in KSA

➡        Fleet grew by five aircraft to 39

➡        Most punctual airline in the world with On-Time Performance peaking at 91.77%

➡        Six consecutive months as best Mid East low-cost airline for punctuality

➡        Launched scheduled flights to Pakistan signaling first move into South Asia

Key milestones and achievements in H1 2025

➡        Joined sister airline Saudia's AlFursan loyalty scheme for members to earn and redeem miles on flyadeal flights

➡        Historic order for 10 Airbus A330 widebody aircraft for long-haul flying

➡        Graduation of first 10 of 150 cadet pilots under new Saudi government scholarship programme

➡        flyadeal announced Saudi cabin crew to be trained as certified tour guides in ground-breaking regional initiative

➡        flyadeal joined industry body International Air Transport Association

➡        Headcount rose 21% to 1,600 employees

Steven Greenway, flyadeal chief executive officer, commented: “The 2025 first-half performance demonstrated flyadeal’s ongoing commitment to growth in both passengers flown and available seat capacity. But more importantly our business evolved in areas with continued focus on core values of operating at low-cost airline, at high efficiency and with service excellence.

“With the number of routes flown increase by almost 60% compared with the six corresponding months of 2024, we achieved 200 daily flights for the first time in June. As the fleet reached 39 aircraft, our milestone 40th has just been delivered in July giving us more capacity to increase frequency on existing services and add new destinations.”

He added: “Achieving status as the world’s most punctual airline in June was indicative of our commitment to operational excellence while increasing capacity. The introduction of scheduled flights to Karachi in Pakistan – our first move into South Asia – and the addition of Istanbul’s second airport of Sabiha Gökçen and Alexandria as our fourth year-round destination in Egypt, is evident of our approach to introduce new markets and strengthen existing ones.

“As we look forward to the coming months of boosting our network including adding Islamabad, Sialkot and Peshawar to boost our Pakistan operations, we are on course for year-end to reach another milestone of 40 million passengers carried since our very first flight.

“We will continue to invest in increasing our personnel across all departments which has already touched 1,600 and on target to triple the number by 2030. This will include onboarding more Saudi First Officers trained through a cadet pilot initiative that began in February under the Saudi government’s scholarship programme that will see 150 trainees undergo training over the next two years.”

Greenway explained that joining sister airline Saudia’s AlFursan loyalty programme, securing a first-ever strategic airline partnership with the Philippines’ LCC Cebu Pacific for a two-way wet-leasing aircraft arrangement, and placing a historic order for Airbus A330 widebody aircraft to enter the long-haul scheduled market, showed how flyadeal was evolving its LCC business model into other areas yet maintaining its low-cost principles.