Comparison

Saudia vs Etihad

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Saudia

This travel app allows users to book flights, manage trips, and check in for flights seamlessly. It also provides access to loyalty program information and allows for the purchase of ancillaries like extra baggage and seat upgrades.

Highlights
  • Book flights and purchase ancillaries
  • Online check-in and digital boarding passes
  • Manage bookings and change seats
  • ALFURSAN member dashboard
  • Store passenger details and bookings offline
  • Book hotels and rent cars
Features
Read full description

The Saudia mobile app offers travelers a sleek and superior experience to Book, Manage Trips, Check-In and more. ALFURSAN members have access to a dashboard with key account information at their fingertips – making the app the ultimate traveler companion. FEATURES BOOKING FLIGHTS & PURCHASING ANCILLARIES - Book your flights quickly and seamlessly. - All of your passengers' details are stored on your phone. - Purchase extras such as Extra Legroom Seats, WiFi, Fast Track and Extra Baggage. - Pay with Visa, Master Card, American Express, MADA or SADAD. CHECK-IN - Check-in online and obtain your boarding pass. You have the option to view the digital boarding pass directly in the App or receive it via SMS or email as a digital copy. - Check-in all your passengers while on the move up to 60-minutes before departure time. - Boarding passes are stored on your phone offline. - Enhance your trip with ease, now you can book a hotel, rent a car, and more - all in one convenient place! ALFURSAN Dashboard - ALFURSAN fast enrollment after completing passengers' details during flight booking. - Retrieve and update your own ALFURSAN profile. - Retrieve your miles and rewards. - Retrieve your flight history. MY BOOKINGS & MORE - Retrieve your bookings made outside the app easily and store them on your phone offline. - From changing seats to adding baggage, you can now manage everything in one place! - Streamline your journey using simplified rebooking flow and easily purchase add-ons. - Make an offer to upgrade your cabin through booking management.

About

Etihad

This travel app allows users to book flights, manage bookings, and check in for their journeys. It provides mobile boarding passes, real-time flight status updates, and access to exclusive travel deals. Users can also upgrade their seats and add extras for a more comfortable experience.

Highlights
  • Flight booking and management
  • Fast and easy check-in
  • Live flight status updates
  • Upgrade and add extras
  • Exclusive travel deals
  • Etihad Guest program management
Features
Read full description

A brand-new travel companion for your trips. Book flights, check in, and manage your bookings seamlessly with the Etihad Airways app. Whether you're flying Economy, Business, or First, enjoy a hassle-free journey with mobile boarding passes at your fingertips, real-time flight status, and exclusive travel deals. Why Download the Etihad Airways App? - Flight Booking & Management – Easily search, book, and manage flights - Fast & Easy Check-in – Check in, select your seat, and download your mobile boarding pass. - Live Flight Status & Updates – Get real-time alerts on flight delays, gate changes, and departure times. - Upgrade & Add Extras – Choose your favorite seat, add lounge access, extra baggage, and Priority Boarding. - Exclusive Travel Deals – Find offers on flights in Economy, Business, and First. - Etihad Guest program – Manage your miles, check status, select and enjoy exclusive benefits. - Fly to Abu Dhabi & Beyond – Discover Abu Dhabi Stopover package, trending destinations, and top travel experiences. Download the Etihad Airways app now for effortless booking, easy check-in, and exclusive travel deals!

Screenshots

Saudia4 screens
Etihad4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Saudia at none against Etihad's shown. Saudia also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). Etihad's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Saudia holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 59K and 18K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Saudia's written reviews are positive against 20% of Etihad's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Saudia ships an update every 3 weeks, Etihad weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Saudia versus Etihad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSaudiaEtihad
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (59K ratings) — better4.4 (18K ratings)
Positive reviews38.8% of reviews — better20.0% of reviews
Number of ratings59K — better18K
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size459 MB188 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSAUDI AIRLINES AIR TRANSPORT COMPANY OF A SINGLE-PERSON COMPANYEtihad Airways

Customer experience

Saudia

All ratings59,228 ratings
Positive92.6%
Neutral2.3%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews595 reviews
Positive38.8%
Neutral7.1%
Negative54.1%

Etihad

All ratings18,110 ratings
Positive86.3%
Neutral4.4%
Negative9.4%
Written reviews949 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral6.8%
Negative73.1%

User reviews

Saudia

From 59K App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✨ Smooth and easy to use app
  • 🕰️ Convenient for booking and managing flights
  • 🤝 Helpful and friendly staff
  • 🍽️ Good in-flight experience with quality food and service

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and glitchy app with frequent crashes
  • ⏱️ Slow and unresponsive performance
  • 🤖 Lack of human touch in customer service
  • 💳 Issues with payment processing and seat selection
  • 🧳 Problems with baggage handling and lost luggage

Etihad

From 18K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Convenient app
  • 🚀 Reliable app
  • 🚀 Exceptional experience
  • 🚀 Convenient and simple

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy app
  • 🐛 Slow and glitchy
  • 🐛 Crashes frequently
  • 🐛 Unstable app
  • 🐛 Terrible app

Bugs and requests

Saudia

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inability to log in to Alfursan account
  • Boarding pass not working with Apple Wallet
  • Seat selection not working properly
  • Booking process getting stuck or not completing

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add multi-destination booking option
  • Integrate Apple Pay and other digital wallets
  • Improve Alfursan loyalty program integration
  • Enhance mobile app functionality to match website

Etihad

Reported bugs

13 issues
  • Unable to log in
  • Cancelled all booking details
  • Issues with paying for seat changes
  • Booked flights disappearing from app
  • Incorrect flight information displayed
Show 8 more
  • Inability to check in through the app
  • Redirecting issues and 404 errors
  • Visa system not working
  • Refund and customer service issues
  • Inability to upload documents for check-in
  • Compatibility issues with newer devices
  • Frequent log-outs and re-logins required
  • Inability to manage bookings through the app

Requested features

9 requests
  • Allow copying and pasting of passwords
  • Enable saving boarding passes to Apple Wallet
  • Improve seat selection and management
  • Add ability to book flights using miles
  • Integrate loyalty program details
Show 4 more
  • Improve app performance and stability
  • Enhance user experience and navigation
  • Add more features to the app
  • Improve customer support and communication

In-app purchases

None

Saudia

No in-app purchases

None

Etihad

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Saudia free?
Saudia is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Etihad free?
Etihad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Saudia or Etihad?
Saudia is rated higher. Saudia averages 4.7 out of 5 from 59K ratings, while Etihad averages 4.4 from 18K ratings.
Do Saudia or Etihad have ads?
Etihad shows ads; Saudia does not.
Which is updated more often, Saudia or Etihad?
Saudia ships an update every 3 weeks, and Etihad weekly. Most recently, Saudia was updated on September 26, 2026 and Etihad on September 25, 2026.

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