Based on travel advisories posted on the airlines’ official X accounts on 23 and 24 October 2026. Checked on 25 October 2026 (IST).
Four Indian airlines have extended their Saudi Arabia suspensions: IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express and Akasa Air. Each cites the security situation in Saudi Arabia or the wider region. Travellers going to Saudi Arabia, including Umrah groups, should not expect Indian carriers to fly to Riyadh before November.
Suspension dates by airline
| Airline | Riyadh | Jeddah | Dammam | Madinah |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IndiGo | To 31 Oct (inclusive) | To 31 Oct (inclusive) | To 31 Oct (inclusive) | To 31 Oct (inclusive) |
| Air India and Air India Express | To 7 Nov | To 31 Oct | To 7 Nov | Not mentioned |
| Akasa Air | To 30 Nov (inclusive) | To 10 Nov (inclusive) | Not mentioned | Not mentioned |
IndiGo first put out its Riyadh suspension on 23 October, with Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah cancelled only to 27 October. On 24 October it moved those three cities to 31 October as well.
Refunds and rebooking
- Air India and Air India Express: Bookings issued on or before 24 October can be rebooked flexibly or cancelled for a full refund. Air India passengers can make one free change to any Air India station in Saudi Arabia that is still operating, subject to seats. The new travel date can be up to 21 November for Riyadh and Dammam bookings, and up to 14 November for Jeddah bookings. For Air India Express, the same one-time change can be to any of its operating stations in Saudi Arabia or Bahrain and India, with the same travel-by dates. The airline lists contact centre numbers +91 11 69329333 and +91 11 69329999 (Air India) and +91 124 6935600 (Air India Express).
- Akasa Air: Affected passengers can take a full refund, credited to the original payment method within seven days, or change their travel date at no extra cost. Passengers who booked through an agent or travel website should contact that agent.
- IndiGo: The airline says it is notifying affected customers using the contact details in the booking. It asks passengers to check their flight status on goindigo.in before going to the airport. Its posts do not set out refund terms.
New routes affected
Our routes tracker lists an Akasa Air Kozhikode–Riyadh route due to start on 25 October. That date came from an unofficial report, and Akasa has not announced the route itself. With all Akasa Riyadh flights suspended until 30 November, it cannot start as reported.
What it means for agents
Contact clients booked to Saudi Arabia on Indian carriers before 31 October, or before 30 November on Akasa, and arrange rebooking or refunds now. All three airline groups say they are reviewing the situation, so dates may change again. Check each airline’s latest advisory before you reissue tickets. If clients choose to travel through another Gulf hub on a separate ticket, check that country’s visa and transit rules first.
Sources: IndiGo on X (23 Oct, 24 Oct), Air India on X, Akasa Air on X