Some links to products and partners on this website will earn an affiliate commission.

You can currently book incredibly cheap flights from Rome or Milan to India and Sri Lanka – starting at just £613 return(!) – but there’s a potential catch: the flights are with Saudia.

The deals

Multiple destinations in India are bookable for well under £700, including Kochi for £613:

Other options include, Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, as well as Colombo, Sri Lanka:

Availability looks good between September and December this year.

What’s the problem with Saudia?

Aside from the fact you’ll need to get to/from Italy first, the main issue is that some people would not be comfortable flying with Saudia or changing planes in Saudi Arabia.

There’s no getting away from the fact that Saudi Arabia is a very conservative religious society and the airline reflects those values. Obviously that means no booze onboard, but also perhaps less obvious things like a dress code for men and women.

InsideFlyer contributor, Michael Kelly, reviewed Saudia Business Class a couple of years ago, which you can check out here and his review of the lounge experience here.

Bottom line

I would recommend doing your own research about Saudia first to help decide if you would be happy flying or not. If you decide you would be comfortable, the prices are superb.

Hat-tip: YHBU