Air India Express to launch Thiruvananthapuram-Riyadh, Bahrain flights from Oct 27

Air India Express will start direct flights from Thiruvananthapuram to Riyadh and Bahrain on October 27. The move widens Kerala's Gulf links and answers long-pending demand for Riyadh connectivity.

In Short

• Bookings have opened for both services, the airport confirmed on Saturday
• Riyadh flights will operate thrice weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
• The route answers long-standing demand for Saudi capital access from Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram International Airport will get direct Air India Express services to Riyadh and Bahrain from October 27, 2026, expanding its links with the Gulf region. Bookings for both routes are now open, the airport said in a statement on Saturday.

The airport said the new flights will give passengers more travel options and further strengthen air connectivity between Kerala and Gulf destinations. It added that the Riyadh route meets a long-standing demand for direct connectivity between Thiruvananthapuram and the Saudi Arabian capital.

The Riyadh service will run three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. It will add to the existing daily Air India Express flights between Thiruvananthapuram and Dammam.

The airport said the direct Riyadh flight is expected to benefit a large expatriate community from southern Kerala and neighbouring Tamil Nadu living and working in Saudi Arabia by offering a more convenient travel option.

The Bahrain service will operate twice a week on Thursdays and Saturdays. Bahrain is already linked to Thiruvananthapuram through daily Gulf Air flights. The airport currently handles more than 250 weekly air traffic movements to the Gulf region, connecting passengers to destinations including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Doha, Muscat, Kuwait and Dammam.

Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is managed by TRV Kerala International Airport Limited, a special purpose vehicle under Adani Airport Holdings Limited. Adani Airport Holdings Limited is a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises. With the launch of the new Air India Express flights to Riyadh and Bahrain, the airport is set to further widen its international network and improve links with the Gulf region.

- Ends