Air travel in Saudi Arabia faced significant chaos on Thursday after Houthi-led attacks targeted airports in the kingdom, leading to nearly 40% of all flights at King Khalid International Airport being grounded. Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported that out of 747 total scheduled flights, 293 were either cancelled or failed to operate. The impact was felt heavily across both departures and arrivals, with the national flag carrier, Saudia, bearing the brunt of the instability by grounding over 60% of its scheduled services. Budget airlines like Flynas and flyadeal also saw substantial portions of their operations disrupted, accounting for the vast majority of the cancellations.

International connectivity also suffered as numerous foreign carriers, including Turkish Airlines and several Indian and European operators, halted their Riyadh services in response to the security threats. While some regional airlines managed limited operations, others, such as Etihad Airways and flydubai, joined the wave of cancellations and delays. These disruptions follow deadly attacks on Saudi airport infrastructure, prompting authorities to advise passengers to verify their flight status with their respective airlines before traveling, as travel corridors—particularly those connecting to South Asia—remain under heavy pressure until the situation stabilizes.