For those who have been looking forward to Riyadh Air flying its first commercial flight, there’s some good news – with the first flight launching on the 26th October.
Beginning October 26th, Riyadh Air will commence daily launch flights from Riyadh to London Heathrow Airport (LHR).
The airline will launch services with what the airline describes as its “technical spare aircraft”, named “Jamila”.
These flights will have limitations on accessibility and ticket purchase. Initially, they will be placed on sale to select groups and Riyadh Air employees, to initially build out the airline’s operational experience ahead of receiving the first aircraft deliveries from Boeing, whilst utilising Riyadh Air’s recently awarded slot at London Heathrow, as part of their “Pathways to Perfection” to iron out initial issues.
Planned operations are as follows:
RX401 DEPART RUH 03:15 ARRIVE LHR 07:30 RX402 DEPART LHR 09:30 ARRIVE RUH 19:15 Commences 26th October 2025 Operates Dailty Booked Equipment: Boeing 787-9 "Jamila"
The airline’s next destination will be Dubai. These flights will be used to build its operational strength to deliver the passenger experience it intends.
Further new routes are set to be announced in the coming weeks for winter 2025 and summer 2026, as aircraft come on line and the network solidifies.
Introducing its loyalty programme – Sfeer
Sfeer, meaning “Ambassador” in Arabic, is the name of its new frequent flyer programme.
Sfeer members can share level points within their community, allowing points to be used by friends and family to enhance their membership level. Those who register earlier will be welcomed into an exclusive group, ‘The Founders‘, who will receive priority access to bookings on future flights, along with other benefits set to be announced soon.
Sfeer will be fully activated in 2026. offering gamified experiences with challenges and leaderboards designed to encourage engagement and participation. Furthermore, Sfeer proudly offers a “no points expiry” policy, complimentary onboard Wi-Fi on its flights, and an array of benefits from local and global partners designed to reward Founding Members from day one.
As well as Sfeer Points for loyalty, the airline will offer Level Points – these will be the points you need to escalate through their loyalty status programme when it formally launches.
Sfeer membership is now open via www.riyadhair.com.
In Quotes
Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air.
“This isn’t just a launch; it’s a tangible realization of a vision to connect Saudi Arabia to the world, a core pillar of Saudi Vision 2030,” stated
“Our commitment to begin operations in 2025 is being fulfilled. This rigorous flight program on Jamila allows us to fine-tune every detail, ensuring a seamless, reliable, and world-class experience. This carefully sequenced approach is our pathway to perfect, and we are now incredibly close to full operations with further destinations to be announced in the coming weeks as our new aircraft are delivered.”
On Sfeer, he added:
“With Sfeer, we’re creating much more than just a loyalty program; we’re building a dynamic, digitally immersive lifestyle ecosystem,”
“Our vision is to truly change the game, offering unparalleled benefits and fostering a unique sense of community among our members.”
Edging towards launch
It’s felt like forever, but it seems that Riyadh Air is finally turning from a fever dream to an almost real airline.
It’s interesting they’re ploughing ahead with a service launch with its “technical spare” leased aircraft, rather than its own airframe, and in the process restricting passengers on it, thus controlling the experience and who can communicate about it, whilst making those mistakes that happen when service starts in some privacy – before the airline’s own aircraft and products arrive.
It’s also interesting that they’ve chosen to launch their frequent flyer programme at the same time, bringing both gamified elements, as well as a traditional tier-earning system.
Because even if you have a new airline, sometimes you have to go back to what works – that’s not AI or blockchain; it’s simple concepts that its customers can understand.
In the near future, Riyhad Air will be governed by deliveries before it can accept the great unwashed on its aircraft – and give the feedback that may be needed to deliver the pathway to perfection the airline seeks.
For now, it’s a chance to learn in the air with forgiving passengers.
Economy Class and Beyond is brought to you by Kevin. They provide a no-nonsense guide to aviation network news, passenger experience insights, honest reviews, in-depth coverage, unique research, as well as the humour and madness I only know how to deliver.
Our Social Media pool has expanded. You can find us across most networks as @economybeyond on BlueSky, Threads, Mastodon and Instagram!
Also, remember that we are part of the BoardingArea community, bringing you the latest frequent flyer news from around the world.
Economy Class and Beyond is brought to you by Kevin. They provide a no-nonsense guide to aviation network news, passenger experience insights, honest reviews, in-depth coverage, unique research, as well as the humour and madness I only know how to deliver.
Our Social Media pool has expanded. You can find us across most networks as @economybeyond on BlueSky, Threads, Mastodon and Instagram!
Also, remember that we are part of the BoardingArea community, bringing you the latest frequent flyer news from around the world.
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