Saudia Airlines is to fly three times a week between Birmingham (BHX) and Jeddah (JED).
The Saudi Arabian carrier will begin operating this route with its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft from July 2, with services on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Nick Barton, chief executive of Birmingham Airport, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Saudia to Birmingham and to establish direct connectivity between the second cities of Britain and Saudi Arabia.
“There’s no doubt these Saudia services will be well subscribed in both directions by people travelling for business, leisure and family purposes.
”Customers heading west from Saudi Arabia now have direct flights to Birmingham Airport, the global gateway to the West Midlands region, an economic powerhouse on a strong trajectory of growth.
“For customers heading east from the UK, Jeddah, on the Red Sea, offers rich array of cultural, leisure and business opportunities.
“Jeddah also has strong onward connectivity to destinations across Asia and Africa. Brits travelling from Birmingham beyond Jeddah can make use of the ‘stop-over visa’ – a chance to enjoy this historic city before heading on.”
