Flights to Socotra
There’s only one way onto the island, and it needs planning. Here you’ll find the current route, the schedule and everything we take care of for you.
There’s only one way onto the island, and it needs planning. Here you’ll find the current route, the schedule and everything we take care of for you.
There’s currently one air route to Socotra: twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The route is flown by Yemenia Airways with an Airbus A320. You book the flight to Jeddah yourself; we arrange the onward flight to the island for you. It currently costs around €950.
The former route via Abu Dhabi was discontinued in December 2025. Since February 2026, the way to Socotra runs solely via Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. From there, aircraft depart for the island on Tuesdays and Thursdays, operated by Yemenia Airways with an Airbus A320.
It sounds more complicated than it is. First you simply fly to Jeddah as normal, and from there we take care of your seat on the flight to the island. We don’t offer other routes, because Jeddah is currently the only reliable connection.
Flights run on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with the outbound and return on the same day, at the same times. The outbound is nonstop; on the way back there’s a short technical refuelling stop. Here are the times at a glance:
Airport codes: JED = King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah. SCT = Socotra Airport.
There’s no way to refuel at Socotra’s airport. So on the way back, the aircraft makes a short technical stop at Al Rayyan International Airport in Mukalla, on Yemen’s south coast. It lasts about 45 minutes and is solely for refuelling.
Nothing changes for you. You stay on board the whole time, with no disembarking and no entry formalities. Mukalla is a regional airport used regularly for domestic flights and considered stable in recent years. So it isn’t a stopover, just a short pause before continuing on to Jeddah.
The flight from Jeddah to the island and back currently costs around €950. We book this leg for you, as it isn’t freely available online.
You book the international flight to Jeddah yourself, flexibly with the airline of your choice. We take care of the flight to the island as soon as the schedule for your window is set. Here’s how we go about it together:
Tell us your preferred travel window, easiest via WhatsApp or the form. We’ll see when it suits you best.
Whether a group tour, private tour or photography tour, together we find the dates and the tour that suit you best.
The deposit is due with the binding booking. That secures your place.
The schedule is often only published at short notice. As soon as the route opens for your window, we check availability.
Once the flight is bookable, we arrange the ticket for the Jeddah–Socotra leg, issued in your name. You don’t have to deal with this part.
The flight to Socotra leaves in the morning. So we recommend flying to Jeddah at least a day beforehand. That way you make your connection with ease and stay flexible if your inbound flight is delayed. It’s best to book a hotel near the airport. Flights to the island run only twice a week, so it’s important to be at the gate in good time.
All flights to the island leave from Terminal N, the North Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. Be there in good time on departure day, this is where your Socotra adventure begins.
Because you change planes in Jeddah and stay overnight, you need a visa for Saudi Arabia. As a rule it can be applied for easily online, via the official site visa.visitsaudi.com.
Via Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. From there, a Yemenia Airways aircraft flies to the island twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The former route via Abu Dhabi has been gone since December 2025.
The flight from Jeddah to the island and back currently costs around €950. We book it for you. The flight from your home to Jeddah is extra and booked by you. Flights aren’t included in the tour price.
There’s no refuelling at Socotra’s airport. So on the return flight the aircraft makes a roughly 45-minute refuelling stop in Mukalla. You stay on board, with no disembarking and no formalities.
Yes. Since you change planes in Jeddah and stay overnight, you need a visa for Saudi Arabia. You usually apply for it easily online at visa.visitsaudi.com.
Absolutely. The flight to the island leaves in the morning, and there are only two a week. Travel to Jeddah at least a day early and stay near the airport, then you’re relaxed and flexible.
No, the Jeddah–Socotra leg can’t be booked freely online. We arrange this part through our contacts on the ground. You book the flight to Jeddah yourself.
Tell us when you’d like to travel. We keep an eye on the schedule and get in touch as soon as your place on the island is bookable.