Saudia compensation: up to €600 for flights from Europe to Jeddah and Riyadh
Saudia, the Saudi flag carrier once known as Saudi Arabian Airlines, links Europe with Jeddah, Riyadh and Medina, and carries many pilgrims heading for Mecca. We have handled claims for more than 250 Saudia passengers, chiefly on Madrid, Paris, Barcelona, London and Manchester to Jeddah. Over those distances the EU compensation is €600 per person.
Saudia is headquartered in Jeddah and is not an EU airline. That means Regulation (EC) 261/2004 only covers the outbound journey: flights taking off from an airport in the EU, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland. Coming home from Jeddah or Riyadh on Saudia does not give you a right to EU compensation.
Late arrival
Your Saudia flight out of Europe gets you to your destination three hours or more late.
Flights from Europe onlyFlight scrapped
The departure was cancelled with less than two weeks' notice.
Under 14 daysLeft behind
The flight was oversold and you could not leave the European airport.
Owed at the gateNo entitlement
Flights from Saudi Arabia to Europe, and cases where Saudia proves an extraordinary event.
Return legs, outside causesWant a quick answer on your trip? Check your Saudia flight in two minutes.
How much Saudia pays on our customers' routes
From most European airports the distance to Jeddah or Riyadh exceeds 3,500 km, so the usual figure is the top rate.
| Distance | Saudia routes from Europe | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | No Saudia route from Europe is this short | €250 |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | A few routes close to the threshold, such as Rome–Jeddah: we work out the exact distance | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | Madrid–Jeddah, Paris–Jeddah, Barcelona–Jeddah, Milan–Jeddah, Frankfurt–Riyadh | €600 |
Each traveller claims separately: a family of five on a Paris–Jeddah flight that arrived four hours late can claim €3,000, and children with their own seat count as adults.
Departing from London or Manchester? Since Brexit, UK departures fall under UK261, which mirrors the EU rules with amounts in pounds: £520 per person on flights over 3,500 km, which covers the UK–Jeddah routes. If Saudia refuses to pay, the Civil Aviation Authority is the regulator.
Saudia delay: what to keep
Two in three of the Saudia claims we handle are about a delay. A late departure from Europe often means missed connections to Medina, Riyadh or Asia. What counts is when the doors open at your final destination. We recommend you:
- Keep all boarding passes, including any Saudi domestic connection.
- Save Saudia's emails and texts with the new times.
- Note your actual arrival time at the last airport.
- Keep receipts for food and accommodation you paid for while waiting in Europe.
- Sign nothing in exchange for AlFursan miles or vouchers until you know what you are owed.
Care Saudia owes you in Europe
While you wait at the European airport, Saudia must provide meals and drinks, plus a hotel night and transfers if the flight moves to the next day.
| Distance | Kicks in after |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | 2 hours |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | 3 hours |
| Over 3,500 km (most flights to Jeddah and Riyadh) | 4 hours |
| Wait over 5 hours | Right to drop the trip and get your money back |
Missed connection in Jeddah or Riyadh
If you left Europe on a single Saudia ticket and the missed connection got you in three or more hours late, compensation is based on the distance to your final destination, even beyond Saudi Arabia. With separately bought tickets, only the first flight counts. More on our page about Saudia delay compensation.
Saudia cancelled your flight: two separate protections
A Saudia cancellation gives you two routes that do not exclude each other: get your money back or still travel, plus compensation if the notice came late.
You can ask for a full refund or another flight to the same destination.
Due on top when the cancellation reached you less than 14 days ahead.
| How early you were told | Compensation |
|---|---|
| Two weeks or more | Not due |
| One to two weeks | Due, unless you were rerouted leaving no more than 2 hours early and arriving within 4 hours of the original time |
| Under one week | Due, unless you were rerouted leaving no more than 1 hour early and arriving within 2 hours |
Moved departure. A significant retiming announced a few days before can be treated as a cancellation. See our page on Saudia cancellation compensation.
Saudia overbooking
About 7 in 100 Saudia claims we receive involve denied boarding. If you are turned away at a European airport because too many seats were sold, holding a valid ticket and documents, compensation is due immediately. It is not due if you lacked the Saudi visa your trip required. Read our guide to Saudia overbooking.
Strikes and Saudia flights
When a Saudia flight from Europe is disrupted by a strike of its own crew or engineers, the EU Court of Justice treats it as part of running the business, so compensation is still owed (case C-28/20). In practice, air traffic control strikes in France or Italy are more common: then Saudia does not pay compensation, but must look after you and offer a new flight or refund.
Saudia said no? Replies worth challenging
Read Saudia's reasons carefully; not all of them hold up.
Routine maintenance and ordinary faults are Saudia's responsibility and do not excuse it.
EU Court of Justice, case C-549/07Correct: flights from Jeddah or Riyadh to Europe on a Saudi carrier are outside Regulation 261.
A strike by Saudia staff usually means it pays; one by European air traffic controllers does not.
EU Court of Justice, case C-28/20Security restrictions over a region can be extraordinary, but Saudia must show they actually affected your flight.
Pilgrimages, SkyTeam codeshares and flights not covered
Many passengers fly Saudia on an Umrah package bought through an agent. The package changes nothing: if the flight left Europe, Saudia owes the compensation as the operating airline. These remain outside the EU rules:
- return flights Jeddah–Europe or Riyadh–Europe operated by Saudia
- routes between non-EU countries, such as Karachi–Istanbul, which we also receive requests for
SkyTeam and flyadeal. Saudia belongs to SkyTeam: on a codeshare the operating airline is liable, and if that is a European carrier, the flight back to the EU is covered too. flyadeal is the Saudia group's low-cost arm but a separate airline.
Claiming from Saudia: yourself or with us
You can submit a written complaint through the customer support area of saudia.com, attaching your booking and boarding passes.
No cost, but you chase a Jeddah-based airline yourself. If it stays silent or refuses, your options are the national enforcement body of the country you departed from, or the courts.
Online form and e-signature, then the claim, formal demand and lawsuit with our lawyers are on us. You pay only if Saudia pays: 25% + VAT. If a case is lost, the legal costs stay with us.
Already refused by Saudia?
Pass us the reply: we compare it with the flight data and decide how to proceed.
Documents for your claim
- Ticket and boarding passesOr the agent's voucher for Umrah packages.
- PassportFor each passenger.
- Evidence of the disruptionSaudia notifications, a photo of the board, receipts.
Deadlines for a Saudia claim
The Regulation has no fixed deadline; the limit of the country where you enforce the claim applies, according to the EU Court of Justice (case C-139/11). Enter your flight date to see if you can still act.
When Saudia pays
If Saudia accepts, the transfer usually arrives within a few weeks. With a formal demand or court case it takes several months. We keep you updated and pass on your share as soon as we receive it.
Saudia baggage delayed or damaged
Luggage is covered by the Montreal Convention in both directions. File a PIR before leaving the airport, then write to Saudia within 7 days for damage or within 21 days of delivery for delay.
Saudia contact details and flight status
- Head office
- Saudia, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Complaints
- Customer support area of saudia.com
- Flight status
- Saudia official website
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