Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation has granted an economic licence to Russia's Azimuth Airlines to operate scheduled passenger flights between Russia and the kingdom, SPA reported on December 4.

The small carrier will operate three weekly services from Makhachkala and Mineralnye Vody to Jeddah starting on December 4 and 15. Flights from Sochi to Riyadh will commence on March 3, 2026, with two weekly services.

The Azimuth decision comes just as Riyadh and Moscow have signed a visa‑free travel agreement for tourists and business travellers, enabling stays of up to 90 days once implemented. Both governments have stated that they want to increase the number of airlines operating direct routes, building on new services already launched by Saudia and flynas between Riyadh and Moscow.

The new routes align with the aviation programme under the National Transport and Logistics Strategy.

The announcement follows the signing of a mutual visa exemption agreement between Saudi Arabia and Russia on December 1, which allows citizens of both countries to travel visa-free for tourism, business or family visits for up to 90 days per year. Russia became the first country to sign such an agreement with Saudi Arabia covering ordinary passport holders.

The Russian Association of Tour Operators has projected tourist flows between the two countries could increase two to three times by next summer following the visa waiver.

Azimuth Airlines is a Russian regional carrier based in Rostov-on-Don, operating primarily in southern Russia and the Caucasus region. The airline serves destinations from its hubs at Rostov-on-Don and Krasnodar airports.

The routes from Makhachkala and Mineralnye Vody connect Saudi Arabia with Russia's predominantly Muslim regions in the North Caucasus, potentially serving religious tourism demand for Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages to Jeddah.

Azimuth Airlines is not currently designated on the main US (OFAC) or EU sanctions lists, which is why regulators in countries such as Georgia and now Saudi Arabia have been willing to authorise its operations over Aeroflot, which has seen the full force of US and EU sanctions since the war in Ukraine.