Visit Saudi Arabia with Skywards Miles

Last week Saudi Arabia launched its new online eVisa and tourism strategy. The launch was pretty slick. My social media and news feeds have been full of images of Saudi sites to add to the bucket list. Which sparked an important question. How easy is it to visit Saudi Arabia with Skywards Miles? And is it worth it?

As part of the effort to attract more foreign tourists to visit some social restrictions have been relaxed. Foreign female tourists are no longer expected to wear an abaya or headscarf in public. Unmarried couples will also now be able to get a hotel room together.

Tourists from 49 counties can now apply online for a one-year multiple-entry visa valid for stays of up to 90 days. The visa costs SAR 440 (AED 430/USD$117) and approvals should generally come within 30 minutes.

Why visit Saudi Arabia?

For expats living in the Middle East, Saudia Arabia is now a very attractive destination for a quick weekend break or short trip.

It is close by. The main cities are all within 2-3 hours flying time of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It is convenient. There are literally hundreds of flights between the UAE and Saudi Arabia every week.

And, there is so much to explore. Saudi Arabia is home to five UNESCO World Heritage sites including historic Jeddah and the ancient desert city of Mada’in Saleh.

Getting to Saudi Arabia with Emirates

Emirates alone operates over 80 flights a week between Dubai and four destinations in Saudia Arabia.

• Jeddah – 3 flights daily
• Riyadh – 4 flights daily
• Dammam – 4 flights daily
• Medina – 1 flight daily (except Saturday)

Jeddah and Riyadh are the two destinations most first-time visitors to Saudi Arabia will be likely to head to. Flying time to Jeddah is around 3 hours while Riyadh is less than two hours away.

There are also plenty of other options for getting to Saudi Arabia. Etihad Airways operates another 77 weekly flights from Abu Dhabi. In addition, Saudia flies from both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

There are also low-cost options. Flydubai, Air Arabia and Flynas all offer connections between the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Flydubai and Air Arabia, in particular, serve a number of smaller cities such as Taif, Abha, Hofuf and Gizan for travellers wanting to get off the beaten track.

Visit Saudi Arabia with Skywards Miles

The cost of a Skywards return award to destinations in Saudi Arabia ranges from 15,000 to 57,500 Skywards Miles. The full breakdown by class and ticket type:

• 15,000 (Saver) 25,000 (Flex Plus) in Economy
• 30,000 (Saver) 42,500 (Flex Plus) in Business
• 45,000 (Flex ) 57,500 (Flex Plus) in First Class

These redemption rates are particularly good value when you consider the cash price for tickets. Typical Economy fares to destinations in Saudi Arabia tend to range from AED 1,100 to 1,400. Business Class fares range from AED 5,000 all the way to AED 8,000.

At these prices, you are getting excellent value for your Skywards Miles, particularly if you are able to book a Saver or Flex award ticket. But even the Flex Plus awards are good value at these prices.

Try the First Class Suite

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These reward prices also provide a very good value opportunity to experience Emirates’ new First Class Suite.

Certain flights to Riyadh operate with a 777 kitted out with the new First Class Suite. However, you may end up a little frustrated by the short flight time of under two hours.

The 3-hour flight to Jeddah on the A380 might be a better option. There would be plenty of time to use the shower spa and enjoy a good meal. First Class tickets to Jeddah typically run to AED 10,000, while I would value 45,000 Skywards Miles at around AED 2,000.

Skywards availability

These good value redemption rates would be pointless if it is not possible to book them. However, Skywards availability appears to be excellent in both Economy and Business. This is even the case for last-minute bookings around the start and end of the weekend.

Availability in First Class is a little harder to come back, particularly for last-minute trips. This is not surprising considering the smaller size of the First Class cabin. However, if booking a couple of weeks ahead there seems to be plenty of space available.

Using Skywards Miles on Flydubai

It is possible to use Skywards Miles to book award flights on Flydubai. However, the cost of Skywards awards on Flydubai is linked to the underlying cash price of the ticket.

In most cases, you would be better off paying cash rather than redeeming Skywards Miles on Flydubai. A reliable rule of thumb is to use Flydubai for earning Skywards Miles but spend them on Emirates to get the best value.

Boost your Skywards Miles

There is a quick way available at the moment to boost your Skywards Miles balance. The Emirates NBD Marriott Bonvoy World Mastercard is currently offering a Welcome Bonus of up to 150,000 points. These points can be transferred to Skywards and would get you about 75,000 Skywards Miles.

The card also comes with complimentary Gold Elite status in Marriott Bonvoy which may come in handy when booking any hotels for a visit to Saudi Arabia.

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