Short answer: Agencies selling flights to and from Sudan work mainly through a few gateways: Port Sudan, Khartoum (since its reopening in 2026), Cairo, Jeddah and Riyadh. Routes and schedules change more often than on most markets, so the job is less about finding a fare and more about managing it: hold carefully, ticket before the deadline, watch for schedule changes and explain the fare rules before the customer pays.
This guide is for travel agencies and agents who sell flights to Sudanese travellers, whether your office is in Sudan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE or Egypt. It covers who travels, the main gateways, the risks that are specific to these routes, and how to quote and manage bookings so that customers trust you.
Key takeaways
- Demand comes from families, workers in the Gulf, students and medical travellers, often booking at short notice.
- Port Sudan is the main gateway for many airlines; Khartoum airport reopened to commercial flights in 2026, but check its current status with the airline before you sell.
- Schedule changes and cancellations are more common on these routes. Check every booking before departure.
- Quote the baggage, the change and refund rules and the total price in writing.
- Never give visa or entry advice as fact. Send customers to official sources.
Who travels to and from Sudan, and why?
Most people flying to and from Sudan are visiting family, working or studying abroad, or travelling for medical treatment. Many Sudanese families live in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Egypt, and travel home or bring relatives to them. Demand rises around Ramadan, Eid and school holidays, and many bookings are made at short notice, often by phone or WhatsApp.
The main traveller groups an agency serves:
- Families visiting relatives in Sudan, Egypt or the Gulf, often with children and infants.
- Workers in the Gulf flying home on leave, often on one-way tickets.
- Students travelling to universities in Egypt and elsewhere.
- Medical travellers going to Cairo and other cities for treatment, sometimes with a companion.
- Pilgrims travelling to Jeddah for Umrah, which links Sudan sales with selling Umrah flights.
Which gateways do agencies sell for Sudan?
Agencies mostly sell flights through Port Sudan, Khartoum, Cairo, Jeddah and Riyadh. Port Sudan became the main gateway for many airlines during the conflict. Khartoum International Airport received its first scheduled commercial flight in nearly three years in February 2026, but operations have been disrupted at times since then, so always check the current status with the airline.
What airlines publish on their own websites (checked 4 November 2026):
| Airline | What its official website shows |
|---|---|
| Sudan Airways (Sudanair) | Main destinations Port Sudan, Jeddah, Cairo and Riyadh; Muscat and Doha marked "coming soon"; an announcement of direct Cairo–Khartoum flights |
| Badr Airlines | International destinations including Cairo, Jeddah, Dubai, Juba and Addis Ababa; Port Sudan and other cities around Sudan; a travel agency registration and login |
| Tarco | A travel agency login; check its current routes directly with the airline |
Airlines from the Gulf, Egypt and elsewhere also serve Sudan, and the list changes. Treat any route list, including this one, as a starting point: check the airline's own website or your booking system on the day you sell.
Common search patterns: customers in Saudi Arabia search for flights such as Jeddah or Riyadh to Port Sudan; customers in Egypt search for Cairo to Port Sudan or Khartoum; customers in the UAE search for Dubai to Khartoum. Learn which gateways your own customers use and keep notes on which airlines served them recently.
Why do holds, deadlines and schedule changes matter more on Sudan routes?
Holds, ticketing deadlines and schedule changes matter more on Sudan routes because capacity is limited and changes are frequent. A seat you held this morning may be gone this evening, a flight time may move, and a route may be suspended at short notice. Agencies that check bookings and tell customers early keep their trust; agencies that do not, lose it.
Three habits protect you and your customer:
- Hold only with correct passport names, and tell the customer the hold deadline in writing. Our guide to PNR, hold and ticketing explains how holds work.
- Ticket before the deadline, not on it. When seats are scarce, ticket as soon as the customer has paid.
- Re-check every booking a few days before departure, and again the day before. If the schedule has changed, contact the customer first, before they find out at the airport.
How should you quote Sudan flights to customers?
Quote Sudan flights the same way as any route, but with extra care on baggage and changes. Many customers travel with heavy luggage and gifts, so the checked baggage allowance often decides the choice. Send two or three options with the airline, flight times, stops, checked baggage, the change and refund rules and the total price for all passengers.
Illustrative example (made-up numbers):
Option 1: Jeddah → Port Sudan, direct Baggage: 1 checked bag per person (check the weight in the fare rules) Changes: allowed with a fee plus any fare difference Refund: not refundable Total for 2 adults and 1 child: USD 690 (illustrative) Price valid until the ticket is issued.
Our guide to quoting flights on WhatsApp has a full template and the phrases to avoid, such as "confirmed" before the ticket is issued.
Visas and entry rules: never tell a customer that they do or do not need a visa or permit. Send them to the official embassy or government website for their passport and destination, and to their government's official travel advice.
How do refunds and schedule changes work for Sudan bookings?
Refunds and changes follow the fare rules of the ticket and the airline's policy. When the airline cancels or significantly changes a flight, the traveller may be offered another flight or a refund, depending on the airline's rules. When the traveller changes their mind, the fare rules decide whether a change or refund is allowed and what it costs.
What to do when a customer asks for a change or refund:
- Read the fare rules first and tell the customer the conditions before you request anything. Our guide to airline fare rules explains the terms.
- Separate airline changes from customer changes. An airline schedule change and a customer's change of plan are handled differently.
- Write down every step: what you requested, when and what the answer was.
- Do not promise timelines you do not control. Refunds go back through the payment chain, which can take time.
For the business side of changes and refunds, see how flight changes, cancellations and refunds work on a B2B platform.
Should you sell from Sudan, or from the Gulf or Egypt?
You can serve Sudanese travellers from Sudan, from the Gulf or from Egypt; many agencies do all three through partners. Where you sell from changes how you get paid, which suppliers you can use and which rules apply to your business. Check your own country's rules for selling travel, and choose suppliers that work with agencies in your country.
Practical points to check before you start:
- Payments: banking and international transfers to and from Sudan can be difficult. Plan how customers will pay you and how you will pay your supplier before you sell, and never ticket before you are paid.
- Supplier access: some airlines offer their own travel agency registration. A B2B portal gives you many airlines in one place, but check which ones before you sign up.
- Registration: you are responsible for meeting your own country's rules for selling travel.
If you are starting a flight business in Africa without IATA accreditation, our guide to starting a flight ticket business in Africa covers registration, niches, ticketing partners and payments.
How to sell flights with QuickOTA
QuickOTA is a B2B travel platform. In the QuickOTA B2B Panel you search, hold and ticket flights for your customers, and you see the fare rules and baggage for each fare before you book. Service fees are itemised and shown before you book and in your booking details. You request changes, cancellations and refunds from your panel and see the quote before you accept.
QuickOTA does not require IATA accreditation: QuickOTA issues the ticket for your booking. To join, you need a registered company or a valid travel agency (tourism) licence from your country. B2B Panel access is free, with no setup fee and no minimum deposit, and you pay for bookings from your prepaid wallet. Which airlines and routes you can book depends on the content available on the day you search.
Common mistakes when selling Sudan flights
- Relying on an old route list. Routes to Sudan change often; check the airline or your booking system on the day you sell.
- Holding without the exact passport names. Name errors are costly and sometimes impossible to fix.
- Waiting until the deadline to ticket. When seats are scarce, the fare or the seat can disappear.
- Not re-checking bookings before departure. Schedule changes are common; tell the customer before the airport does.
- Giving visa or entry advice. Send customers to official sources instead.
- Ticketing before payment. With difficult transfers, make sure the money has arrived first.
FAQs
Which airport do most flights to Sudan use?
Port Sudan became the main gateway for many airlines during the conflict. Khartoum International Airport received its first scheduled commercial flight in nearly three years in February 2026, but services have been disrupted at times. Check the current status and routes with the airline before you sell.
Which airlines fly to Sudan?
Airlines that serve Sudan include Sudan Airways (Sudanair), Badr Airlines and Tarco, as well as airlines from the Gulf, Egypt and elsewhere. Routes change often, so check the airline's own website or your booking system on the day you sell.
Can my agency book Sudan flights without IATA accreditation?
You can sell flights without your own IATA accreditation if you use a supplier that issues the ticket for you. QuickOTA does not require IATA accreditation: QuickOTA issues the ticket for your booking. You are responsible for meeting your own country's rules for selling travel.
What should I do if the airline changes the flight time?
Contact the customer straight away, explain the new time and the options the airline offers, and update your records. Check bookings a few days before departure and again the day before, so that you find changes before the customer does.
Do Sudanese travellers need a visa for Saudi Arabia, the UAE or Egypt?
Entry rules depend on the passport, the purpose of travel and the destination, and they change. Do not give visa advice as fact. Send customers to the official embassy or government website of the destination country.
Related reading
- Starting a Flight Ticket Business in Africa: A Guide for Non-IATA Agencies
- How to Quote Flights to Customers on WhatsApp
- Your First Flight Booking: PNR, Hold and Ticketing Explained
- How Flight Changes, Cancellations and Refunds Work on a B2B Platform
- Airline Fare Rules Explained
- Selling Umrah Flights as a Small Travel Agency
- Can a Non-IATA Travel Agency Issue Airline Tickets?
