Saudi Arabian Airlines has decided to expand its existing A320neo-family order from 35 to 65 aircraft, and place options on another 35. The additional firm order includes 15 A321XLRs.

Saudi Arabia continues to experience strong growth in passenger demand on domestic, regional, and international routes. The airline plans to deploy the aircraft to support a plan to boost capacity. Airbus and Saudia have also agreed to expand their partnership with the development of technical training, maintenance, and other services.

The biggest Airbus operator in the kingdom, Saudia operates a fleet of 100 Airbus aircraft consisting of A320s and A330s. The latest purchase follows with the group’s transformation program, which includes the establishment and growth of a dual-brand strategy of operating airlines catering to different customer segments.