October 16, 2026 — IndiGo has extended its suspension of flights to and from Saudi Arabia through October 24, following the Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi infrastructure, including the October 10 attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport.
What happened
IndiGo’s cancellations now cover Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah through October 24, 2026 (inclusive). The airline says it is contacting customers through the details on their bookings. Passengers who booked through a travel agent should contact the agent. Refund and rebooking terms were not published in the report (TBA).
Other Indian airlines have also pushed back their Saudi return dates:
| Airline | Cities | Cancelled until |
|---|---|---|
| IndiGo (6E) | Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Madinah | October 24 |
| Air India (AI) | Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah | October 20 |
| Akasa Air (QP) | Riyadh / Jeddah | October 24 / October 21 |
| Air India Express (IX) | Several Saudi services | October 17 (earlier announcement) |
Riyadh’s airport has been closed under a NOTAM that runs to 21:00 UTC on October 17. Saudi authorities have not officially announced a full reopening, and each airline is making its own decision on when to return.
What it means for non-revs
- There is no IndiGo service to Saudi Arabia before October 25 at the earliest. Do not plan pass travel on IndiGo to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam or Madinah before then.
- With all the main Indian carriers off Saudi routes at the same time, the passengers who still need to travel are being pushed onto the remaining options, mainly connections via the Gulf hubs. Expect full flights and tight standby chances on India–Gulf–Saudi connections.
- When flights do restart, the first few days will carry rebooked passengers from two weeks of cancellations. Give it some time before trying to travel on standby.
- The reports do not say how IndiGo or the other Indian airlines are handling employee or interline travel during the suspension (TBA). Check with your pass bureau before listing.
Sources
- NewsDrum — Indian airlines extend Saudi flight cancellations till October 24 amid Houthi attacks
- BusinessToday — Akasa Air extends suspension of flight to Riyadh till October 24
- Travel Tourister — Riyadh Airport Reopens Oct 17: Which Airlines Return — Full Timeline
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