Today’s article is from TLFL regular contributor Jason. You can follow Jason on Instagram here @planejayds
In this post:
Booking
This was a cash booking at a bargain price of around £600 one way from Singapore to Abu Dhabi via Saudia’s Jeddah hub. Not only was the fare excellent value, but it was also completely flexible, so I jumped on it. Unlike most of their neighbouring airlines that sell ‘light’ fares with no lounge access and seat selection at a fee, all of Saudia’s business class fares include these.
As part of the SkyTeam alliance, I was able to credit the sectors to Air France Flying Blue, which made the deal even sweeter. I booked directly with Saudia online and found the process straightforward, with the booking easily manageable via their app.
Check In at Singapore Changi
I had arrived earlier on a BA flight from Sydney at around 10pm and had a few hours to spare before the 2:30am departure. I was slightly surprised to see that my Saudia flight was departing from Terminal 3, the home of Singapore Airlines and its Star Alliance partners.
I had checked in online and was pleased to receive a digital boarding pass. On a previous transit through Saudi Arabia, I hadn’t been able to check in online, as the airline required a passport check at the airport. This time, travelling with hand baggage only, having the boarding pass in advance meant I could head straight airside rather than wait for desks to open.
Out of curiosity, I decided to check the landside area anyway and was surprised to find that check-in had already opened, a full four and a half hours before departure. It was extremely busy and quite a sight, with the overwhelming majority of passengers appearing to be travelling as part of organised pilgrimage groups to Mecca.
Despite the crowds, it was very well organised. There were considerably more desks open than you might expect for a typical 787 departure: one priority desk for Business Class and top-tier cardholders, two standard economy desks, and three dedicated group check-in desks. Given the volume of passengers, it seemed to run impressively smoothly.
Lounge
I won’t dwell too much on the SATS Premier Lounge, which is a fairly standard contract lounge also accessible via Priority Pass.
The space itself is quite compact and was absolutely full despite the late, or early, hour. Food, however, was better than expected, including a made-to-order noodle station serving laksa, which was a welcome touch.
Around 45 minutes before I left for the gate, the lounge suddenly emptied out completely, which gave me the opportunity to take a few photos without disturbing other guests.
Boarding and Departure
Changi has gate security, which people either love or hate, so I allowed plenty of time to reach gate B8. Boarding began bang on 1:30am, a full hour before departure.
The aircraft had arrived from Bali (Denpasar) and was transiting Singapore before continuing to Jeddah, so there were already a handful of passengers on board. I made my way to my preferred seat when I travel, which is the last row window seat on the left-hand side, which in this case was 6L. Waiting at my seat were bedding (a small-ish pillow and a decent blanket), headphones, and a bottle of water.
I quite liked the cabin aesthetic. There’s plenty of colour, with Saudia’s signature green used extensively, but it never feels overwhelming. A hot towel was offered, followed by a choice of pre-departure drinks: fresh-squeezed orange juice, a lemon and mint drink, or a mango and strawberry smoothie. I went for the lemon and mint option, which was very similar to what Qatar serves.
It’s probably worth mentioning here for anyone considering Saudia: the airline is dry. No alcohol is served on board or in its Saudia lounges. I’m not a big drinker, so it wasn’t an issue for me, but I know some readers won’t go near an airline without a full bar drinks service.
Arabic coffee and dates were then passed around (with refills), and boarding was complete by 2:10am. Looking around, I did briefly wonder how much sleep I’d get on this overnight flight, given the number of families and young children in the cabin, but in the end everyone settled down, and it was surprisingly quiet.
A very well-stocked special-edition amenity kit was also distributed, apparently to celebrate Saudia’s rebranding (which technically happened back in 2023).
Saudia also carries an onboard chef, who came through the cabin distributing menus, offering a genuinely warm welcome, and encouraging passengers to ask any questions about the food. After the safety video, and the traditional prayer for travel, we were airborne by 2:35am.
The Seat
Saudia operates both the 787-9 and 787-10, each featuring 24 Collins Aerospace Super Diamond seats in a reverse herringbone configuration. It’s a hugely popular business class seat used by airlines such as Air Canada, American, and Qatar. Airlines like BA and Etihad use the same base seat but have added doors to create a suite.
Seats are arranged 1-2-1. On the 787-9, business class occupies the entire forward cabin between doors one and two. On the 787-10, however, there are three rows of economy (“Guest Class”) between business class and door two.
The seat converts into a fully flat bed measuring 78 inches in lie-flat mode. Positions are controlled via a small touchscreen panel at the side of the seat.
Storage is good, with a shallow nook on the side table and a deeper compartment under the armrest. One of the storage areas houses the AC power outlet and USB-A port.
The Flight
Once airborne, the first thing to happen was the crew walking through the cabin spraying insecticide, a bit of a blast from the past and not something you see very often anymore.
Meal orders were then taken. Saudia offers dine-on-demand in business class, so I ordered another lemon and mint drink straight away and opted to have my main meal closer to landing.
The lights remained very low as we passed over Kuala Lumpur, and my drink was served with some nuts. I watched a bit of 2 Broke Girls on the IFE before reclining the seat to get some rest.
The seat itself is quite firm and would benefit from a mattress topper, but I was still able to get a reasonable amount of zzz’s. The cool cabin temperature and individual air vents definitely helped.
I woke up as we passed over Abu Dhabi, ironically, my final destination, with just over two hours to go.
My table was set with a tablecloth, warm breads and pastries, and my starter. The catering was exceptional and felt very high quality throughout. Butter was Isigny, water was Berain, served in glass bottles, and sugar came as cubes in a small ramekin.
The main course was individually plated on Wedgwood dinnerware. Overall, the standard was excellent and a huge improvement on my previous Saudia flight around seven years ago.
There were several non-alcoholic ‘sparkling’ options on the drink list, but I stuck with water and the excellent espresso coffee.
Service was efficient and professional, with four flight attendants working the cabin and occasional support from the purser.
IFE & Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi unfortunately wasn’t working on this aircraft, though on Wi-Fi-enabled aircraft it is complimentary for Business Class passengers.
Saudia’s inflight entertainment system is called “Beyond” and can be navigated either via touchscreen or a handheld controller. I didn’t spend a huge amount of time exploring it, but there was a solid selection of films and TV, including collaborations with Apple TV, the BBC, and Paramount.
When I last flew Saudia, the IFE content was noticeably censored. I distinctly remember watching episodes of Friends where even upper cleavage was blurred out and seemingly harmless words were muted.
Things appear to have relaxed somewhat. I watched a couple of episodes of 2 Broke Girls, which weren’t modified at all, and that show can be fairly cheeky.
Arrival into Jeddah & Al Fursan Lounge
We landed in Jeddah at 06:10am. We had a fairly long taxi before parking at a remote stand and boarding buses to the terminal.
The bus dropped us at the newer Terminal 1, which is now home to all Saudia operations. When I last flew Saudia around a decade ago, they were using the old terminal, which, to put it mildly, was not pleasant. The new terminal is worlds apart.
The same can be said for the Al Fursan Lounge, which has separate First and Business Class sections. I had a long transit of around six hours, so plenty of time to explore.
The lounge is easy to find, one floor above the main concourse, and impossible to miss thanks to the large neon Al Fursan sign glowing in Saudia green.
The entrance feels suitably grand. Immediately inside are the bathrooms and showers to one side, and on the other a dessert bar featuring decadent cakes, Arabic sweets, and chocolates, along with Arabic coffee.
There are tables scattered around this area and even a grand piano in the centre. A good amount of greenery softens the space and makes it feel more welcoming than many large hub lounges.
The main dining area sits just beyond. Most food is buffet style, but there’s also an egg station preparing omelettes, a toasted sandwich counter, and even a pizza station. There are plenty of dining tables, as well as a dedicated barista coffee bar.
Further into the lounge is the main seating area, with a mix of sofas and armchairs. Many seating clusters seemed designed for families or groups travelling together. The lounge was quite busy when I first arrived, with most seats occupied, but within an hour it had thinned out considerably.
Other amenities include games rooms for both little kids and big kids (yes, adults), along with semi-private rest areas.
Overall, it’s a very solid hub lounge and a dramatic improvement from Saudia’s previous offering.
Jeddah – Abu Dhabi
A320 | 2h 35m
The gate was about a ten-minute walk from the lounge. Boarding began an hour before departure and, once again, we were transported by bus to a remote stand, which, as an avgeek, I always enjoy (though I know not everyone shares that enthusiasm). I was warmly welcomed on board and took my seat, 3L.
Like most regions outside Europe, Saudia offers “proper” Business Class recliners on its narrowbody fleet (A320 and A321), rather than the blocked middle seat you often find closer to home. The A320 features either three or four rows in a 2-2 configuration.
My first impressions were very positive. The cabin was pristine, finishes felt elegant, and each seat had a large IFE screen. The seats themselves were wide and comfortable.
High-quality headphones and a bottle of water were already at my seat, and pre-departure drinks were offered (lemon mint again, no surprises there). Cold towels followed, along with Arabic coffee and dates, and menus were distributed.
The door closed 15 minutes ahead of schedule, and we pushed back right on time.
After take-off, pillows were handed out, a thoughtful touch on a relatively short regional flight. Service began with a pre-meal drink (sparkling water for me), served with warmed nuts.
The meal was then presented on a single tray, as expected for a flight of this length, but it was genuinely impressive. There was a choice between a traditional “Saudi Sufrah” option (chicken zorbian) and two Western alternatives, all accompanied by a selection of mezze.
It was absolutely delicious, and I polished off every last bite, despite having thoroughly overindulged in the lounge beforehand.
Verdict
The last time I flew Saudia was also on a Dreamliner with the same hard product, but this time the overall experience felt noticeably more premium and cohesive.
From the refreshed branding and cabin aesthetic to the excellent catering to the vastly improved experience at Jeddah’s new terminal, everything felt several levels above my previous flight. The airline seems far more polished and confident than it did a few years ago.
The lack of alcohol will inevitably be a red line for some travellers. For me, it wasn’t an issue at all, especially given the quality of the non-alcoholic options on offer.
At the price I paid, this represented outstanding value for money. Based on this trip, I wouldn’t hesitate to fly Saudia again and would absolutely recommend giving them a try, particularly if you value strong catering, a solid hard product, and competitive fares.
