Saudi Aramco's Boeing 737 flies a short hop as oil exports resume at Ras Tanura

Saudi Aramco’s Boeing 737-8AL, tail number N801XA, was tracked on a brief four-minute flight from King Fahd International Airport (OEDF) to the same airport on June 28, 2026, reaching an altitude of 8,700 feet. The registration owner, Saudi Arabian Oil Company, maintains a fleet that serves employee transport to remote oil fields and executive travel across the Kingdom.

If aboard, Saudi Aramco would have been airborne the same week crude oil loading resumed at its Ras Tanura terminal after a near four-month halt, as reported by Reuters via Al-Monitor and The Economic Times on June 26. Two Very Large Crude Carriers were observed loading at the world’s largest oil port, signaling a recovery in Gulf exports following the interim U.S.-Iran deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The timing would suggest operational oversight of the terminal’s restart.

Recent flights by Saudi Aramco show a pattern of movements between Dammam, Riyadh, and other Saudi hubs, with this short hop potentially a repositioning or crew rotation. The company’s aviation arm, Aloula Aviation, manages over 40 aircraft from its dedicated terminal at King Fahd, underscoring the logistical support behind the Kingdom’s oil export rebound [al-monitor.com](https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/06/saudi-aramco-resumes-oil-loading-ras-tanura-after-4-month-halt-data-shows) [economictimes.indiatimes.com](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/saudi-aramco-resumes-oil-loading-at-ras-tanura-after-four-month-halt-data-shows/articleshow/132006156.cms).