This winter, Saudi Arabia locals and residents will have access to a brand new destination — Japan — with direct flights.
Usually passengers travelling between the two regions have had to rely on connecting flights through varying transit hubs, adding hours of travel time and increasing transit friction to the long journey. But, from November, Saudia will endeavour to connect Riyadh with the Japanese capital city of Tokyo with direct flights, multiple times a week.
And in even better news, tickets for this route are now on sale.
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Flight Schedules and Fleet Details
Starting from Tuesday, November 17, 2026, the Kingdom's long-standing airline, Saudia will officially launch its first-ever direct flight route connecting King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh to Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT). The landmark expansion is the result of a joint partnership between Saudi Arabia's national flag carrier, the Air Connectivity Programme (ACP), and the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA).
Saudia will service the new route three times per week, with flights scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The airline will utilise its wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet for the long-haul crossing, as the aircraft has been specifically configured to offer enhanced cabin comfort, with larger windows, and noise reducing ambient and interiors, which is ideal for the long journey.
The scheduled operations will run on the following timetable:
- Flight SV824: Departs Riyadh (RUH) at 01:00, arriving at Tokyo Narita (NRT) Terminal 1 at 17:25 the same day. (Total flight time: 10 hours and 25 minutes)
- Flight SV825: Departs Tokyo Narita (NRT) Terminal 1 at 21:30, arriving at Riyadh (RUH) at 05:25 the following morning. (Total flight time: 13 hours and 55 minutes)
Ticket sales for the new route have already launched across Saudia's digital booking platforms and authorised sales channels. As the only non-stop connection linking Saudi Arabia and Japan, this new direct route marks a milestone in connecting the Gulf directly to East Asia.
Aligned with the economic diversification goals of Saudi Vision 2030, the National Aviation Strategy, and the National Tourism Strategy, it is hoped this new non-stop route will accelerate bi-lateral tourism, business, and cultural exchanges between the two nations.
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eVisa entry for Saudi Citizens
For Saudi nationals looking to book a seat on the inaugural flights, navigating entry requirements has become remarkably straightforward. While Saudi citizens do require a visa to enter Japan, they do not need to visit an embassy or consulate in person for standard leisure travel - an eVisa is available.
Instead of going through long visa approval processes, ordinary passport holders residing in the Kingdom can easily apply and obtain a single-entry tourist visa online via the official JAPAN eVISA system. The electronic visa grants Saudi visitors a stay of up to 90 days for tourism purposes. Travellers must submit their application through the eVisa portal at least seven days before their intended arrival. For business travel or multi-entry visas, travellers must go through the standard consular channels to obtain the correct visa permits.
