The Riyadh-Dubai route has dropped out of the list of the world's top 10 busiest international air routes in July 2026, after a notable decline in scheduled seat capacity, while the Riyadh-Cairo route continued its ascent to become the busiest international route from the Saudi capital, ranking eighth globally, according to the latest data from OAG, the global aviation analytics company specializing in flight schedules and seat capacity.

Data from OAG's 'Busiest Routes Right Now' report showed that scheduled seat capacity between Riyadh and Dubai reached 235,476 seats in July 2026, a decrease of 37.5%, or approximately 100,000 seats compared to the same month last year, which led to the route dropping out of the list of the world's top 10 busiest international air routes.

In contrast, the Riyadh-Cairo route saw seat capacity grow by 5% year-on-year, with total available seats reaching 333,271 in July, topping all international routes from the Saudi capital and ranking eighth globally among the busiest international air routes.

These figures reflect continued growth in travel between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, driven by economic, trade, and tourism relations, as well as expatriate movements and high travel demand during the summer holiday season.

OAG's ranking is based on scheduled seat capacity, i.e., total seats offered for sale on each route, calculated from scheduled flights and aircraft capacity, and does not reflect actual load factors or passenger numbers.

Aviation sector specialists suggest that the decline in capacity on the Riyadh-Dubai route may be due to the redistribution of operational capacity among airlines, changes in seasonal demand patterns, and rescheduling of some flights, while the Riyadh-Cairo route continues to solidify its position as one of the most important air corridors in the Middle East, supported by high traffic volume between the two countries.

The report confirms the continued presence of Saudi airports among the most active aviation markets in the region, amid sustained growth in the aviation sector, an increase in international flights, and the expansion of national carriers' operational networks.