Jeddah/Rome – ITA Airways is expanding its presence in Saudi Arabia, a rapidly growing and strategically important market, by launching its second destination in the Country with the direct Rome-Jeddah roundtrip flight, operating with three weekly frequencies.

The first flight from Rome Fiumicino, an Airbus A321neo aircraft, landed yesterday at King Abdulaziz International Airport at 9:10 p.m. (local time) and was greeted with a water arch salute. The first flight from Jeddah Airport to Rome Fiumicino departed today at 3:30 a.m. (local time).

To celebrate the launch of this new intercontinental route, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the arrival gate of Jeddah International Airport. The ceremony was attended by Irene Buongiorno, Vice Consul General of Italy in Jeddah, Rashed Al-Shammari, Vice President of Aviation Development at Air Connectivity Program, Glen Wilson, Vice President of Operations of Jeddah Airports, Amira Afandi, Director of Corporate Communication and Public Relations at Jeddah Airports, Pierfrancesco Carino, Vice President International Sales ITA Airways, and Benedetto Mencaroni, Regional Manager for Asia, Middle East, and Africa ITA Airways.

"We are delighted to inaugurate our first nonstop flight between Jeddah and Rome, strengthening our presence in Saudi Arabia, a rapidly growing market”, said Emiliana Limosani, Chief Commercial Officer of ITA Airways and CEO of Volare. "This new opening follows the launch of the nonstop connection to Riyadh in June and is part of our ongoing summer network expansion, which boasts excellent booking results. Operated with the state-of-the-art A321neo, this new flight will expand the medium-haul network and enhance commercial and cultural exchanges between the Arabian Peninsula and Italy, while also providing connections with our array of destinations accessible via our Rome Fiumicino hub”.

“We are delighted to see ITA Airways commencing the route between Rome and our coastal and historical city of Jeddah, which will further enhance our air connectivity to KSA. Travelers from ITA Airways’ network in Italy, Europe, and the Americas will enjoy a more seamless journey to explore the untapped potential of Jeddah. We look forward to further strengthening our collaboration with a great partner, ITA Airways”, said Mazin Johar, CEO of Jeddah Airports (JEDCO) and Majid Khan, CEO of Air Connectivity Program (ACP).

“As a representative of the Italian Consulate, I am thrilled to be part of the strengthening partnership between Italy and Saudi Arabia through the launch of the new roundtrip Rome-Jeddah flight. It truly is a testimony of the friendship between the two countries, which not only is rooted in a deep historic relationship, but is further developing the commercial friendship with expanding opportunities”, said Irene Buongiorno, Vice Consul General of Italy in Jeddah. “The new ITA Airways intercontinental route will boost the promotion of our beloved country into Saudi Arabia. Likewise, it is with great pleasure to be part of this unique opportunity for my fellow Italians to be able to discover the kingdom, a beautiful country that I have had the chance to call home for the past seven years. I would like to wish all the success to ITA Airways and King Abdulaziz International Airport, and cannot wait to see the positive impact that this new flight will bring”.

The new connection will operate according to the following schedule:

  • Jeddah – Rome with three weekly frequencies: departure from Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport is scheduled at 3:30 a.m. (local time), with arrival in Rome Fiumicino the following morning at 7:00 am (local time) on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
  • Rome – Jeddah with three weekly frequencies: the timetable includes departure from Rome Fiumicino at 3:05 p.m. (local time) and arrival in Jeddah at 9:10 p.m. (local time) on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The A321neo, operating the Jeddah-Rome route, is the largest aircraft in the Airbus A320neo family and offers exceptional range and performance. Efficient and quiet, the new A321neo boasts 20% lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions per seat. It is the first narrow-body aircraft configured with three separate cabins: Business Class (12 seats), Premium Economy (12 seats), and Economy (141 seats, including 12 dedicated to Comfort Economy). The cabin interiors, entirely designed by Walter de Silva, perfectly embody the elegance and style typical of Italy.

Distinctive features of the A321neo include the Airspace Cabin with new colors and materials, the latest generation of seats, new ITA Airways customized interior lighting and XL overhead bins. Each seat is equipped with the latest entertainment system, featuring "on-demand" video and audio, 17.3'' (Business), 15.6'' (Premium Economy) and 13.3'' (Economy) low reflectivity and 4K resolution touchscreens for a simple, smooth and intuitive user experience. 

With the introduction of the new nonstop flight to Jeddah, ITA Airways is operating 57 destinations in the current summer season, including 16 domestic, 26 international, and 15 intercontinental. Additionally, during the summer peak, the airline will fly to 12 additional seasonal destinations, selected among the most popular Mediterranean tourist spots.

This Summer marks a season of significant expansion for ITA Airways in both medium and long-haul routes. To date, the new destinations inaugurated include Chicago and Toronto in North America, Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Accra and Dakar in Africa. In the upcoming Winter Season, additional routes already announced in the Asian continent will follow: Dubai, on October 27th, and Bangkok, on November 16th.

The new flights can be purchased through ITA Airways' sales channels, including the official website www.ita-airways.com, the airline's Customer Center, travel agencies, and airport ticket offices.

For press information:
Pietro Caldaroni, Head of Communication and Institutional Relations
Mail: media@ita-airways.com

About ITA Airways

ITA Airways is a company totally owned by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance for the exercise of business in the air transport sector. ITA Airways aims at creating an efficient and innovative air carrier that will become a reference point in providing Italy with quality connectivity both in terms of international destinations, thus boosting tourism and foreign trade, and within the Country, also taking advantage of the train-air integrated mobility. ITA Airways will place the best customer service at the center of its strategy (through a strong digitization of processes that ensure a best-in-class experience and personalized services), combined with sustainability, in its environmental (new green and technologically advanced aircraft, use of sustainable fuels), social (equality and inclusion for a gender-neutral company) and governance (integration of sustainability into internal strategies and processes) aspects. ITA Airways is a member of SkyTeam alliance as of October 2021.