Flight tickets are often one of the biggest expenses for expatriates in Saudi Arabia, especially for those who travel frequently to their home countries. By using the right booking strategies, you can cut costs and save more on every trip. Here are some golden tips every KSA expat should know. 10 Smart Flight Booking Tips.
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Search in incognito mode or use a VPN
Airlines and online travel agencies often raise fares if you search multiple times from the same device. To avoid this, search in your browser’s incognito mode or use a VPN.
Book in the departure or destination currency
Always compare fares in different currencies. For example, if you are booking a Riyadh → Manila flight, check prices in both SAR and PHP. In many cases, booking in the local currency of the destination country can be 10–15% cheaper.
Know the cheapest days to fly
Flight fares fluctuate depending on the day of travel. Based on Middle East routes:
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- Cheapest departures: Wednesdays and Saturdays
- Cheapest returns: Tuesdays and Wednesdays
- Most expensive: Fridays and Sundays (weekend rush)
Try hidden city or one-way hacks
Sometimes indirect flights cost less than direct ones. For instance, booking Jeddah → Muscat → Karachi may be cheaper than flying Jeddah → Karachi directly.
Buy two one-ways instead of a round trip
For routes like KSA–India, Pakistan, Philippines, or Bangladesh, two separate one-way tickets (even on different airlines) often cost less than a round-trip ticket.
Check regional airports
Don’t limit yourself to direct flights. For example, instead of Riyadh → Delhi, compare Riyadh → Mumbai or Riyadh → Hyderabad and take a short domestic connection. This trick can save you 20–30% on fares.
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Book at odd hours
Many travelers have noticed that fares drop during late-night hours (1:00 AM – 4:00 AM KSA time) when booking systems refresh.
Watch out for airline sales and national days
Keep an eye on flash sales during special occasions. For example:
- Saudi Arabia: National Day (Sept 23) and Founding Day (Feb 22) often bring discounts from Saudia, Flynas, and Flyadeal.
- Other countries: Airlines from other countries also release promo codes during national and festive holidays.
Use local OTAs and payment wallets
Saudi-based portals like Almosafer sometimes provide exclusive discounts. Additional savings may apply if you pay with local wallets such as STC Pay.
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Compare multiple airports
When booking, check fares from different airports within Saudi Arabia and nearby regions. For example:
- Riyadh (RUH) vs. Jeddah (JED)
- Riyadh (RUH) vs. Dammam (DMM)
- Eastern Province residents can also consider Bahrain (BAH), which sometimes offers cheaper flights due to lower taxes.
Conclusion
Saving on flights is all about timing, flexibility, and knowing where to look. By applying these simple tips, expats in KSA can cut costs and make their trips home more affordable.
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