Middle East Gets New Gateway to Spain's Beautiful Costa del Sol

Saudi Arabia's newest airline, Riyadh Air, has officially launched flights to Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport, further expanding air connectivity between Spain and the Middle East as Spain's airport operator Aena continues to report strong passenger growth.

The inaugural service arrived at Málaga on July 14, with the airline operating three weekly flights between Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport and Spain's Costa del Sol.

Costa del Sol, Spain. Photo: Shutterstock

According to Aena, the new route will operate every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, offering travelers additional options between Saudi Arabia and one of Spain's most popular leisure destinations.

The launch comes as Saudi Arabia continues investing heavily in tourism and international air connectivity under its Vision 2030 strategy, while Málaga strengthens its position as one of southern Europe's busiest holiday gateways.

Saudi Arabia. Photo: Offthecouchexperience / Shutterstock.com

Aena Nears 37 Million Passengers in June

The announcement coincides with Aena's latest traffic update, which shows continued growth across its airport network.

Aena Group airports handled nearly 37 million passengers in June, reflecting sustained demand during the start of the busy summer travel season.

During the first half of 2026, airports in Spain recorded a 3.7% increase in passenger traffic compared with the same period last year.

Although traffic continues to grow, the pace has moderated slightly. During the first half of 2025, Spanish airports posted a stronger 4.5% year-on-year increase, indicating that demand remains robust but is gradually normalizing after the rapid post-pandemic recovery.

The new Riyadh–Málaga service further expands air links between Spain and Saudi Arabia, offering more travel opportunities for both leisure and business passengers.

As a reminder, another Saudi carrier, flyadeal, started operating regular flights to the Czech capital, with the launch of a new route to Riyadh on June 26, 2026. The airline also added flights to a direct route to Jeddah on July 2.