Recent travel data from Wego shows a marked increase in domestic winter travel demand in Saudi Arabia.

Local flight bookings within the Kingdom soared by 64% year-on-year, highlighting a strong preference among residents across Saudi Arabia for short, experience-led trips that explore the Kingdom’s cultural, recreational, and natural destinations.

Milder temperatures and a wide variety of tourism options have encouraged travelers to spend their winter holidays domestically, enjoying seasonal events, scenic landscapes, and unique cultural experiences without leaving the country.

Riyadh in the Spotlight

Riyadh continues to dominate as the top domestic winter destination this season, with bookings up 59.44% year-on-year, driven by the ongoing Riyadh Season 2025–2026. The city’s calendar is packed with concerts, sporting events, dining experiences, and large-scale entertainment, perfectly suited for winter travel, attracting visitors from across the Kingdom.

Scenic Escapes: Taif and Tabuk

Flight bookings to Taif surged by 67.97%, while Tabuk recorded a 40.90% increase year-on-year. These figures reflect the growing demand for scenic escapes, outdoor-led itineraries suitable for long weekends and family break trips.

The expansion of travel options and entertainment offerings, combined with the growth of the local hospitality sector, has made domestic travel more diverse and attractive, delivering a blend of enjoyment, comfort, value and flexibility for all age groups.

Winter Travel Booking Trends

Data indicates a mix of early planning and last-minute domestic travel.

While most domestic trips are planned slightly more than two weeks in advance, around 21% of bookings occur within a day of travel, signaling growing confidence in flexible digital booking solutions. -TradeArabia News Service