Paul Lucas of the Wingin It channel has returned to Saudia for the first time in several years, this time boarding a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in business class for the short domestic hop from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah (JED) to King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (RUH). His verdict, published yesterday, is broadly positive — with the lounge and catering drawing particular praise — and carries the title "SAUDIA: World's Most UNDERRATED Airline?"
The Lounge at King Abdulaziz International Airport
Lucas begins his assessment at the Saudia domestic lounge at King Abdulaziz International Airport, which he describes as a standout facility given its remit. The lounge, he notes (3:19), caters exclusively to very short domestic routes, yet the spread on offer goes well beyond what that context might suggest.
Later Lucas continues to describe (3:46) a full wave of cold desserts, snacks, and salads laid out across the lounge. The range and presentation clearly exceeded his expectations for a facility serving flights that rarely exceed an hour in the air.
“The Saudia Domestic Lounge is one of the nicest lounges I've been in, considering it only serves very short flights.”
Lucas has reviewed Saudia on at least three prior occasions, most recently in 2018 when he flew the carrier's 777-300 from Jeddah during Ramadan and recorded a mixed verdict — praising the food and service while criticising the lounge quality. The domestic lounge here appears to represent a meaningful step up from what he encountered then. Josh Cahill reviewed Saudia Airlines approximately two years before this video, reaching a similarly positive conclusion on catering and service while noting the carrier's dry policy.
The Cabin and Onboard Service
The aircraft for the JED–RUH sector is a Boeing 787 Dreamliner — Lucas has reviewed the type extensively across carriers ranging from Royal Jordanian to KLM, giving him a reasonable baseline for comparison. Cabin cleanliness is noted positively: he observes (12:42) that the toilets on board are spotless, a detail that carries some weight given his past criticism of Japan Airlines for precisely the opposite.
The meal service arrives shortly after departure. Lucas describes the dinner (13:34) as a very enjoyable and substantial offering for a flight of this length — a route that, in most carriers' hands, would warrant little more than a snack. The visual presentation of the meal prompts an unguarded reaction.
“What an absolutely stunning looking meal that is.”
The comment comes after the meal is placed in front of him. It is the kind of reaction that tends to be reliable precisely because it is not scripted — Lucas is not given to effusive praise, and his channel history on the 787 Dreamliner includes some notably critical assessments, including a recommendation to actively avoid KLM's 787-10 in business class.
Overall Assessment
The overall verdict on Saudia is positive, with both the lounge and catering singled out as the product's strongest elements. For a domestic sector that most carriers treat as an afterthought, the combination of a well-stocked lounge and a full dinner service in business class represents a more complete offering than the route distance might lead a traveller to expect.
Lucas does not address the airline's dry policy directly in this review, though it remains a standing characteristic of Saudia Airlines that other reviewers, including Josh Cahill, have flagged as a potential deterrent for some travellers. However, the absence of alcohol does not appear to have diminished Lucas's experience on this particular sector.
Whether the product holds up on longer international routes, remains a question this review does not answer. The JED–RUH leg is short enough that catering quality and lounge access can carry the entire experience, and on both counts, Saudia delivered.
