Saudi Arabia's budget airline Flyadeal wants to open more bases across the kingdom and expand into lucrative South Asian cities as part of a push for medium-to-long haul markets.

Madinah will become the airline's fourth base and it is examining a fifth, with Abha among possible options, Steven Greenway, flyadeal's chief executive, told The National.

Two aircraft will be permanently based in Madinah's Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport from January 1, increasing to four planes by the end of 2026, he said. It will operate domestic flights from Madinah to the cities of Jazan, Tabuk, Al Hofuf and Abha, plus international flights to Cairo and Istanbul.

Establishing a base in Madinah, Islam's second holiest city, is a "common sense” decision from an economic, network and mechanical perspective. It allows the airline flexibility in opening new international destinations, scheduling early morning departures and transporting pilgrims, Mr Greenway said.

"You can offer a better network, you can squeeze more out of your aircraft … it will allow you to open up routes that you previously couldn't do or it was wasteful to do,” he said. "If you've got aircraft based in that market, it's a better way to maintain market share. It's your moat.”

Flyadeal does not have plans to open bases outside Saudi Arabia because "there is so much growth happening in the kingdom alone,” he said.