• Virgin Atlantic
• British Airways
• EgyptAir
• Royal Jordanian
• Lufthansa
• Gulf Air
• KLM
• Middle East Airlines
• Saudi Arabian Airlines
• Turkish Airlines
• British Airways
• Etihad Airways
• Oman Air
• Emirates

• The Flight from London Heathrow to Dammam takes 10 to 12 hours to reach its destination. There is one stopover in the flight at Frankfurt, Cairo or Amman, depending on the airline chosen to fly with.
• Flight from Manchester to Dammam usually takes 11 to 13 hours. The flight comes with a stopover at Istanbul, Frankfurt or Jeddah.
• Flights from Birmingham to Dammam are sometimes 12 to 15 hours long with a stopover at Amsterdam or Frankfurt.
• Flights to Dammam from London Gatwick Airport have a duration of 12 to 15 hours as well. They have a stopover in Istanbul.

Regrettably, as of right now, there are no direct flights to Dammam from any international airport in the United Kingdom. The preferred route to the city form the UK is to purchase an EgyptAir ticket for a flight operating from London Heathrow Airport.

Dammam is quite pleasant when measured against the weather experienced in much of Saudi Arabia. The sea winds moving inland keep the temperatures down and the desert heat at bay, starting from November to March. These are the “winter months” of Saudi Arabia but are absolutely perfect to soak in that warmth of the golden sun. The temperatures hover between 16°C to 26°C and there is absolutely no chance of rain. Going to Dammam in the winter months, therefore, have added advantages: this way the traveller would be skipping the crystallizing European cold and avoiding the heat Dammam city experiences in the summer months.

The cheapest time to fly to Dammam is in the summer. The blistering 45°C heat of the city is at its peak in the month of August. The weatherman scares most travellers away even before they plan to visit Dammam. Most tourists fail to realize that the city is a highly modern metropolis. The oil wealth of Saudi Arabia is generated from the oil fields all around the city, making it an economic hub. Many international companies have opened their regional headquarters in the city. The inflow of foreign nationals has made the local government sensitive and willing to maintain their level of comfort. So, apart from the eight-lane highways, every mall, store, office building and hotel is fully air-conditioned. For a cheap ticket to Dammam and low-cost accommodation, come to the city in the summer. No sweat.

King Fahd International Airport (DMM) serves the city of Dammam. The airport was built in 1999 but is still the largest airport in the world, with respect to land area. The airport is the third busiest airport in Saudi Arabia. Last year, the airport was able to manage 10 million passengers. King Fahd International is 20 kilometres from the city centre. Being a metropolitan area, Dammam is actually an urban partnership of three cities namely, Dammam city, Al Khobar and Dhahran city that all share the airport to connect to the world.

A British traveller has to apply for a visa before touring Dammam in Saudi Arabia. Please make sure that when applying for a visa at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in London, your British passport has at least six months left in its expiry. Please also take note that in the Hajj pilgrimage season, the authorities in Saudi Arabia could deny you entry into the country or hold you from boarding the aeroplane if you do not have a Hajj visa. These measures are put in place to regulate the number of people that enter the country during that high traffic season.

Dammam is definitely a fun-filled city and an entertainment focal point. The city’s population and a large number of expatriates in the city love indoor wall climbing, water sports and star gazing.

• The Dolphin Village of Dammam is a place where not only children but also adults come to spend a few hours every weekend. Although the marine life resort is open all week, the weekends are the busiest. Watch the dolphins jump in and out of the water at the command of their human instructors. The sea lions are a hoot and perform different tricks and water acrobatics. After this family adventure, walk to the Dolphin Village’s own giant aquarium, that puts on exhibit the many marine species of the world.
• The Seafront is an amazing place to visit when you are in Dammam. During your vacations in the city, there needs to be a calmer and quieter place where you could recollect your energies and concentrate on what is more important – happiness and family. The Seafront is the best place for a family to have a picnic and to walk by the restless seashore. There are walkways and pathways for both the disabled on wheelchairs and cyclists trying to train and paddle hard. Every few meters or so, you would find a family with a dad rolling the kebab skewers over a fire and a bunch of kids practising football. Truly a great place to enhance those family bonds.
• The Heritage Village is a combination of two amazing concepts; the ground floor celebrates Saudi cuisine and the top floor is a small but unique museum that reminds the visitor of a time when Saudi Arabia was not an oil-rich nation. When the tourist enters the doors, he is greeted with the most delicious dates and the Saudi gahwa tea. The food is out of the world and gives an insight into the true Saudi spirit. The Arabian delights presented on the dining table, be they savoury meat dishes or sweet desserts, are all culinary masterpieces. After the meal, one can climb the stairs to a museum of wonder where relics, from a bygone era, sing songs of a beautiful simplicity, now not seen in neon-lit Dammam.

The cheapest way around the city of Dammam is by Taxi. Being an Oil exporting country, Saudi Arabia has one of the lowest petrol rates in the world. The taxi fares are ridiculously low. All you have to do is to wave at the nearest one and you’ll be on your way in no time. Hiring a car is also a good option. Dammam has a long list of car rental companies with a great variety of cars for your choosing. It is essentially up to you if you want to travel in style in a roaring Mustang or an economically friendly sedan.

Dammam is a place where the world comes to do business. Millionaires want to make more millions and luxury travellers want the finest services. The city’s hotels are operated with that in mind and are waiting to welcome you in Dammam.

• Sheraton Dammam Hotel & Convention Centre
• Park Inn by Radisson Dammam
• Golden Tulip Dammam Corniche Hotel
• Swiss International Al Hamra Hotel Dammam
• Novotel Dammam Business Park Hotel