Wizz planning 50 plane fleet in Saudi Arabia by end of the decade

Wizz signed a deal in May to explore plans for a joint venture in Saudi Arabia (Shutterstock)
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Updated 20 September 2022
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Wizz planning 50 plane fleet in Saudi Arabia by end of the decade

RIYADH: Wizz Air Holdings, a Hungarian ultra-low-cost carrier, aims to establish a fleet of 50 aircraft at a new unit in Saudi Arabia by the end of the decade, Bloomberg reported. 

More than a quarter of the flights in the unit will be domestic, with about 50 percent focusing on the wider Middle East and the rest primarily on Europe, Alex Irving at Sanford C. Bernstein said in a note, citing comments from Wizz management at the carrier’s Budapest headquarters.

The company plans to start its services to Saudi Arabia next week, starting with flights to the Gulf city of Dammam from Rome, Vienna and Abu Dhabi, according to Bloomberg. 

Wizz signed a deal in May to explore plans for a joint venture in Saudi Arabia. 

The company said last month that it would expand its operations to 20 routes from 11 European cities, and would also take the capital, Riyadh, and Jeddah on the Red Sea.

Wizz is planning for a fleet of 500 aircraft by 2030, with the latest order for 75 Airbus SE A321neo narrow-body jets announced last week.

The airline aims to base 125 planes in West European markets, and 250 in its Central and Eastern Europe heartland and 125 further east.


Global investors commit more than $3bn to King Salman Park as Saudi giga-project secures new deals

Updated 10 March 2026
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Global investors commit more than $3bn to King Salman Park as Saudi giga-project secures new deals

RIYADH: The King Salman Park Foundation has secured more than $3.8 billion in new private-sector commitments at the MIPIM 2026 real estate conference, including a landmark $3 billion fund backed by international investors to develop a major mixed-use district in the heart of Riyadh.

According to a press release, the announcements bring total committed investment in the 17.2 sq. kilometers urban regeneration project to over $5.3 billion across five major packages.

Launched in 2019 under Saudi Vision 2030, the development is designed to be the world’s largest city park and aims to boost green space, improve quality of life, and feature over 1 million trees and extensive leisure facilities.

A $3 billion metro-connected district

The largest of the two packages, designated Package 5, will see a consortium led by Kolaghassi Development Co. deliver a residential-led district with a total built-up area exceeding 1 million sq. meters. 

It will provide approximately 3,700 residential units, a K–12 school, around 300 hospitality keys and more than 100,000 sq m of Grade A office space alongside a wide variety of retail and dining offerings.

The development is supported by a Saudi-domiciled, Capital Market Authority-regulated fund managed by Mulkia Investment Co. that has attracted leading investors from the Kingdom and across the world.

Kolaghassi Development Co. will lead the project alongside Al Othaim Investment, one of the Kingdom’s real estate players, and RXR, a New York-headquartered real estate investor and operator.

“Securing investment of this scale, supported by international capital and expertise, is an important milestone for King Salman Park,” said George Tanasijevich, CEO of King Salman Park Foundation. 

$850 million cultural district package

In a separate announcement, the Foundation confirmed the award of Package 4 to a consortium led by Retal Urban Development Co., with support from a fund managed by SAB Invest.

The project has a total value exceeding $850 million and will host more than 600 residential units, over 140 hotel keys, and almost 50,000 sq m of Grade A office space, alongside curated retail and food and beverage experiences.

“This opportunity reflects the maturity of Saudi Arabia’s real estate investment landscape and our confidence in culture-led, mixed-use urban destinations as a driver of sustainable returns,” said Abdullah Al-Braikan, CEO and founder of Retal Urban Development Co.

Ali Al-Mansour, CEO of SAB Invest, said the fund structure brings together “long-term capital, experienced development partners, and a shared commitment to place-making excellence” while contributing to Riyadh’s cultural vibrancy and the Kingdom’s quality-of-life ambitions under Vision 2030.