Lucknow to Jeddah nonstop: flyadeal starts three weekly flights

Saudi low-cost airline flyadeal began nonstop flights between Jeddah and Lucknow on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, giving Uttar Pradesh its first direct link with western Saudi Arabia on the carrier. The route runs three times a week in each direction, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays, using 186-seat Airbus A320neo aircraft, according to the airline's published schedule as reported in the travel trade press. Lucknow is flyadeal's third destination in India, after Hyderabad and Mumbai. The flights carry the numbers F3 1823 from Jeddah to Lucknow and F3 1824 on the return, according to reports.

For travellers from Uttar Pradesh, a direct flight to Jeddah removes the need to connect through Delhi, Mumbai or a Gulf hub. Jeddah is the main air gateway for pilgrims travelling to Mecca. A nonstop service can save several hours on each journey and avoid the cost and stress of changing planes.

The route also adds competition. A low-cost carrier entering a market usually puts pressure on fares, and passengers now have one more option for travel between north India and western Saudi Arabia. For Lucknow's Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, every new international route strengthens its position as a gateway for the state, rather than leaving most international travel to Delhi.

For flyadeal, the route is part of a steady expansion in India. After Hyderabad and Mumbai, Lucknow gives the airline a foothold in the north. The airline's acting chief commercial officer, Lloyd Misquitta, described India as an important and growing market for flyadeal and called the launch a further step in expanding there. Its chief executive, Steven Greenway, has said international growth is now a focus for the airline as more aircraft join its fleet.

The launch also comes as Lucknow adds links to Saudi Arabia more broadly. Airport officials quoted in a news agency report said new services that week would give Uttar Pradesh direct connections to three major Saudi cities, Jeddah, Medina and Dammam. For travellers from the state, whether going for work, family visits or pilgrimage, that is a significant widening of choice from a single airport.

Travellers should note that reports give conflicting arrival times, so the published timetable on the airline's own booking system is the one to rely on.

Peepals calculation: three flights a week each way on 186-seat aircraft give 558 seats a week in each direction (3 × 186), or 1,116 seats a week in both directions. Over a full year, that is about 58,000 seats (1,116 × 52 = 58,032), if the schedule stays the same. Our calculation from the reported figures.

Short-term: Passengers from Lucknow and nearby districts can fly nonstop to Jeddah three times a week, without changing planes in another city.

Long-term: If demand is strong, the airline may add frequencies, and the route adds to Lucknow airport's international links.

Who is affected: Travellers between Uttar Pradesh and Saudi Arabia, including pilgrims and workers; Lucknow airport; and airlines competing on India–Saudi routes.

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