A practical guide to planning a trip from Riyadh to Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia: distance, flights, visas, time difference and the best time to go.
- Arrival airport
- Najran Airport (EAM)
- Airport to destination by road
- 0.5–4 hours approx.
- Time difference
- None
- Local currency
- SAR
- Best time
- December to January
Flights from Riyadh
The destination is in the same country and reachable by road or a domestic flight. Airlines based in Riyadh include Saudia, flynas, flyadeal and Riyadh Air.
How many days you need
Counting travel days, plan around 8 days in total to enjoy Empty Quarter without rushing.
Best time to go
| Month | Temp (°C) | Rain | Experience | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12–26 | mostly dry | ★★★★★ | quiet |
| February | 15–29 | mostly dry | ★★★★★ | quiet |
| March | 19–33 | mostly dry | ★★★★★ | very quiet |
| April | 23–36 | mostly dry | ★★★★★ | very quiet |
| May | 26–39 | mostly dry | ★★★★★ | very quiet |
| June | 27–41 | mostly dry | ★★★★★ | very quiet |
| July | 28–42 | mostly dry | ★★★★★ | very quiet |
| August | 28–41 | mostly dry | ★★★★★ | very quiet |
| September | 25–39 | mostly dry | ★★★★★ | very quiet |
| October | 21–34 | mostly dry | ★★★★★ | very quiet |
| November | 16–30 | mostly dry | ★★★★★ | quiet |
| December | 13–27 | mostly dry | ★★★★★ | quiet |
Empty Quarter from other cities: Jeddah · Dammam · Medina · Dubai · Abu Dhabi · Sharjah · Doha · Kuwait City · Manama · Muscat · Amman · Cairo · Beirut · Casablanca
No trips are listed for this destination yet. Send a request and we will check with providers.
Sources: Arab News – Saudi desert gateway fast becoming the next tourist hotspot (2021) · Wikipedia – 'Uruq Bani Ma'arid · Visit Saudi Booking – Empty Quarter expedition · Weather Spark – Sharurah Domestic Airport climate · Saudi eVisa portal · Visit Saudi – Saudi Tourism Authority · CDC Travelers' Health – Saudi Arabia · Ethiopian Airlines press release (Dec 2025) · flynas news – Jeddah–Entebbe direct flights (Mar 2026) · Ahram Online – EgyptAir Riyadh frequencies (2026) · Arab News – Riyadh Air Cairo service (2026)
Figures are approximate averages and vary from year to year.