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This is the plane I took when I left Saudi Arabia and headed to Europe. Saudia uses low-density refurbished A320s on long-haul flights to Europe. These A320s have been refurbished to include flat beds in business class, IFE backrests in all classes, and on-board Wi-Fi.
Flights from Jeddah to Geneva will use the new Jeddah Terminal 1. Currently, only a small number of flights use the new terminal, including some Saudia flights to Central Europe/Middle East and Etihad.
There are no lounges open yet on the international side of the terminal. Train (APM) is currently undergoing testing and is unavailable. However, many of the end gates are unused, so the walk isn’t too bad.
![airplane on tarmac](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_13.jpg)
The configuration of the refurbished Saudia A320 includes 20 lie-flat business class seats in the first five rows, followed by 90 economy class seats. The aircraft registration for my flight was HZ-ASA. I heard that Saudia owns and leases his A320 from its own fleet. You can tell which one is owned by the registration ending with an alphabet (e.g. HZ-ASA) or by the registration ending with a number (e.g. HZ-AS75) for leased vehicles. All of the refurbished A320s will be owned by Saudia.
![airplane seats](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_08-800x600.jpg)
![row of airplane seats](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_07-800x600.jpg)
![airplane seats](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_06-800x600.jpg)
![Rows of seats with monitors behind them](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_04-800x535.jpg)
![Rows of seats with monitors behind them](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_02-800x535.jpg)
Once seated, we were provided with newspapers, hot towels, and a welcome “antioxidant” juice. This consists of a mix of mango, raspberry and strawberry juices.
![Newspapers and drinks on a tray](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_09-800x600.jpg)
There was also a traditional Arabic coffee and date service before takeoff.
![Men and women in uniform holding trays of food](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_11-800x600.jpg)
![dried fruit tray and cup](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_10-800x600.jpg)
On this day’s flight, I was presented with a rather large Missoni brand amenity kit.
![A table with bags and other things on it](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_20-800x600.jpg)
Flight
The flight time from Jeddah to Geneva was 6 hours, which was a little longer than I expected, but there was a seasonal headwind. We flew over the Red Sea under wonderfully clear skies. The scenery along the way was amazing. Saudi Arabia seems to have a lot of hidden treasures and potential to exploit these natural landscapes and resources.
![Airplane window with island visible in the distance](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_22-800x600.jpg)
![airplane wing on land](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_01-800x600.jpg)
![middle east map](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_25-800x600.jpg)
food and beverages
Saudia does not serve alcohol on board, but instead has a rather interesting selection of non-alcoholic mocktails, juices, bellinis and a ‘water bar’.
![Black text menu and black text](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_21.jpg)
![Woman in blue uniform holding a tray with food](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_05-800x535.jpg)
The service was great even though the plane wasn’t full. There were about 10 business passengers and 35 economy passengers.
Meals are always available on demand. There were two types of set menus: Arabic cuisine or Mediterranean sun cuisine. Meals can be mixed and matched, with appetizers chosen from the Mediterranean sun and main courses chosen from Arabic cuisine.
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Dine on Saudia’s on-demand menu -
Saudia business class dining menu -
Saudia business class dining menu
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arabic food set -
mediterranean sun cuisine
The food was wonderful in presentation and taste. I looked at the size of the soup bowl and realized it was a lot. I had salted salmon and the soup was zucchini and shallot. The main course was lamb kofta and we finished with bread pudding and ice cream.
![plate of food on the table](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_23-800x600.jpg)
![plate of food on the table](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_24-800x600.jpg)
![A cup of soup and a glass of water](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_26-800x600.jpg)
![A plate of food with rice and vegetables](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_28-800x600.jpg)
![Dessert plate with ice cream and chocolate](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_29-800x600.jpg)
IFE and Wi-Fi
All seats had IFE. I enjoyed this Saudi comedy about a woman who disguises herself as a man to drive a car. However, I could not connect to Wi-Fi during the flight.
![Framed photo of a girl with a basket](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_19-800x600.jpg)
![Hand holding a black object in front of the TV](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_27-800x600.jpg)
I slept for a few hours before flying over the European Alps with amazing views on the way to Geneva. The bed was the perfect width for my shoulders and long enough for my height (6’1”). The downside is that if someone is sitting next to you, you have to step over them to get out of bed.
![airplane wing and snowy mountains](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saudia_A320_Business_Class_30.jpg)
conclusion
This Saudia A320 flight was very impressive. Flatbeds, great food, meals on demand, IFE and more – you can’t get much better on the A320. As far as I can think of, Qatar Airways is the only other airline that has this configuration on their A320s (this layout is also seen on United/Delta Airlines on their premium 757s, JetBlue Airways and American Airlines on their premium A321s)
The service and attentiveness was excellent considering my flight was light. Saudia seems to have strengthened its international premium services. However, ground services must continue to improve. Saudia Airlines is a conservative airline that does not serve alcohol. Their model is not exactly the same as Emirates, moving mass transit through megahubs.
I am hopeful that Jeddah’s infrastructure will allow for a better connection between Europe and Asia (sixth freedom connection) and that Saudia may become a better choice.
Redeem your miles to Saudia Premium Class
A one-way ticket between Saudi Arabia and Europe in business class costs 47,500 Al Fursan miles with low taxes. The availability of award seats on Saudia Airlines is pretty good. I once flew Saudia’s first class using Korean Skypass miles.
Are Saudia’s premium fares cheap?
There are attractive Saudia business class fares from Istanbul to Asia (Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila) via Riyadh or Jeddah. If you’re considering traveling from Asia to Europe, consider flying from Colombo. The following fares are taken from Expertflyer and do not include taxes or surcharges.
![Screenshot of flight results](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-10-at-11.34.09-PM-800x401.png)
![Flight schedule screenshot](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-10-at-11.36.22-PM-800x393.png)
![Flight schedule screenshot](https://samchui.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-10-at-11.36.40-PM-800x389.png)
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