India Saudi flights cancelled into November: Akasa Air, Air India, Air India Express and IndiGo have all pushed back the restart of their Saudi Arabia services. IndiGo and the two Air India airlines now say no flights until 14 November 2026, while Akasa Air has moved Jeddah to 18 November and Riyadh to 30 November. The Consulate General of India in Jeddah has also told Umrah pilgrims caught by the cancellations how to get help in the Kingdom.
On 23 October IndiGo said its Riyadh flights were cancelled until 31 October. That date has passed without a restart, so anyone holding an early November ticket should treat it as cancelled until the airline confirms otherwise.
What changed: the new dates by airline
The table uses the latest advisory from each airline.
| Airline | Saudi airports affected | No flights until | Advisory date |
|---|---|---|---|
| IndiGo | Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Madinah | 14 November 2026 | 28 October |
| Air India and Air India Express | Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam | 14 November 2026 (inclusive) | 30 October |
| Akasa Air | Jeddah | 18 November 2026 | 1 November |
| Akasa Air | Riyadh | 30 November 2026 | 1 November |
IndiGo blamed “ongoing airspace restrictions in the region”. Akasa said it was monitoring developments. Earlier reports gave Akasa’s Jeddah restart as 10 November, so check the airline’s own page rather than an older screenshot shared on WhatsApp.
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Who is affected
The cancellations hit Indian expats in Saudi Arabia flying home or returning from leave, families on visit visas, and Umrah pilgrims booked on Indian carriers.
Saudi carriers are still flying. According to the consulate, Saudi airlines continue to operate Jeddah and Madinah flights to India, and flynas runs services from Dammam to Lucknow, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kozhikode and Kochi, and from Riyadh to Delhi, Hyderabad and Kozhikode on select dates.
Refunds and rebooking
Each airline offers a refund or a free change, on different terms.
- Air India and Air India Express: confirmed bookings issued on or before 30 October for travel up to 14 November can take one free rebooking for travel up to 29 November, subject to seats, or cancel for a full refund. Air India can rebook from any of its operating stations in Saudi Arabia; Air India Express also accepts its Bahrain station. Phone: Air India +91 11 69329333 or +91 11 69329999, Air India Express +91 124 6935600.
- Akasa Air: a full refund to the original payment method within seven days, or a new travel date at no extra cost. Tickets bought through an agent must be changed through that agent.
- IndiGo: says its teams are contacting affected customers. It has not published separate terms in this advisory, so use the IndiGo app or website to see the options on your booking.
What expats and pilgrims in Saudi Arabia should do now
- Check before you leave home. Confirm the flight with the airline on the day; do not go to the airport on an old booking.
- Watch your exit re-entry visa. If you are outside the Kingdom and your return slips past the visa’s validity, ask your employer to extend it through Muqeem, or extend it yourself on Absher for family members you sponsor.
- Umrah pilgrims with an extended stay: call the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s Pilgrim Care Centre on 1966 from a Saudi number, register the problem and keep the case reference number. Share it with the Indian consulate’s 24-hour control rooms in Jeddah and Makkah. More is on the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah website.
- Compare a Saudi carrier. If your date is fixed, a seat on a Saudi carrier may get you home sooner than waiting for a restart.
The consulate says it is working with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on visa validity for pilgrims whose departure is delayed. No Saudi authority has announced a blanket extension, so do not assume one applies to you.
We will update this page when any of the airlines confirms a restart date.
Sources: airline advisories of 28 October (IndiGo), 30 October (Air India and Air India Express) and 1 November (Akasa Air) as reported by Gulf News and Siasat Daily; Consulate General of India, Jeddah, advisory of 24 October as reported by Gulf News. Read on 1 November 2026.