Saudi Arabia’s New Stopover Flight Visa Includes a Free Night at a Hotel

As part of its efforts to increase tourism, Saudi Arabia announced this week the launch of a free stopover visa for stays of up to four days, including a free hotel night. 

Travelers flying on the national air carriers Saudia or Flynas will be able to remain in the country for up to 96 hours, or four days, with a complimentary digital visa that the tourism board says can be obtained in less than three minutes through an integration with the airlines’ booking platforms. 

The new stopover visa is “a significant milestone,” according to Saudia CEO Captain Ibrahim Koshy. “We are confident it will positively impact the growing number of transit passengers while enhancing our position as a hub that connects East and West,” he said in a statement. 

All passengers—whether traveling for business or leisure—qualify to apply, which can be done during the booking process for both airlines, when booked up to 90 days before travel. To qualify, travelers must meet the entry requirements, including having a passport that’s valid for at least six months.

To book on the national carrier Saudia—which is part of the Skyteam alliance and has destinations across North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East—departure and arrival cities must be outside of the country. Passengers can then select flights that have no more than 96 hours between the arrival and departure time in Saudi Arabia, and then apply for the visa right on the site. A 200-pixel square photo that’s less than 20 kilobytes must also be uploaded as part of the process. Travelers will then receive their visa by email. 

After payment is confirmed, passengers can apply for the one-night hotel stay by using the Saudia Holidays banner that will appear on the confirmation page. While availability may vary, qualifying passengers will get the free night's stay after showing their boarding pass at hotel check-in.

For Flynas, a low-cost airline with a fleet of 38 aircraft serving 70 destinations, including international airports like Istanbul, Doha, Marseille, Cairo, Mumbai, Dubai, and Amman, the booking process is similar, although it doesn’t include the free hotel stay. 

While the visa does cross off a major step, it doesn’t completely guarantee entry since documents will be checked again upon arrival by an officer to confirm that everything submitted was accurate. 

To help visitors make the best of their stays, the tourism board has curated itineraries for 24, 48, 72, or 96 hours, encouraging visits to its six UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Al-Ahsa Oasis, At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah, and the most recent addition, the Ḥimā Cultural Area. The stopovers can also be used for spiritual visits to Mecca, including the Umrah ritual, which requires additional registration through the Nusuk platform.

In recent years, the Arabian peninsula nation has been positioning itself as a tourism destination, launching the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) in June 2020, with 16 offices around the world that represent 38 countries. Airline capacity into Saudi Arabia is expected to grow by more than 65 percent in the first quarter of this year, compared to last year, the tourism board predicts, noting that four of the top 10 busiest international routes in the first three months of 2022 were to or from the country. 

The new program is a major step in the nation’s goal of hitting 100 million visits a year by 2030. “Saudi Vision 2030 has laid solid foundations for cooperation between the regulatory and executive sectors on the one hand, and the private sector on the other, with the ambition to support the Kingdom’s goals across all sectors,” Flynas CEO and Managing Director Bandar Almohanna said in a statement. "This is a welcome development that eases and speeds up the process for our passengers who wish to stop in Saudi for up to 96 hours on the way to their final destination.”

The U.S. State Department currently has Saudi Arabia at a Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” with a heightened “Do Not Travel” warning to a 50-mile zone near Yemen border, Abha airport, and the Eastern Province's Qatif, including Awamiyah.

Saudi Arabia acknowledges that there may be some hesitation visiting the country (read our story about the complexities) with two of the frequently asked questions on VisitSaudi.com’s page about the program. For those who might need assistance during their stays, there is a 24/7 tourist helpline (dial 930), and for those who have concerns about "feeling welcome as a visitor,” the site says, “Saudis are renowned for their hospitality, or as we say Hafawah. There is so much to explore and we cannot wait to share the authentic home of Arabia with our guests.”