SaudiaBEYOND

Saudia’s existing image felt generic and outdated, and it did not reflect the direction the company wanted to take. The airline needed a brand that could be recognized as its own source of pride, represent its roots and origins, and work consistently across products and technology. The goal was to attract a more international audience and bring the Saudia identity to passengers everywhere.

The challenge was also cultural. Most of the team did not share Saudi Arabia’s language, heritage, or religion, so the design had to be grounded in research before it could be built. Every visual and interaction decision had to respect the culture it represented while still feeling modern and accessible.

Because the team needed to understand the culture before designing for it, the project began with research rather than visual exploration. The first phase included a trip to Saudi Arabia to study the country’s culture, heritage, and origins, and to understand how Saudia could reflect them with respect and authenticity.

Next, I analyzed the existing website and its data to understand how users navigated it, where they dropped off, and which tasks were hardest to complete. I also benchmarked airline and hospitality brands across regions to identify patterns that worked well and gaps the new identity could fill.

Color selection was one of the most important parts of the research. Colors were not chosen only for aesthetics. Each one was studied for its cultural meaning, since the same color can signal luck, wealth, sadness, or misfortune depending on where it is seen. Every choice was made to reinforce the message the brand needed to communicate in each market.

Finally, every milestone was reviewed with Saudia, who served as the final decision maker. Accessibility was tested throughout the process with contrast audits and guideline checks to make sure the interface was legible on every device and for every user.

The primary reviewer and validator was the client, Saudia, who approved each stage of the project. Alongside client reviews, the design went through detailed contrast and accessibility testing, following global standards to ensure legibility, usability, and inclusive use across devices.