With the delivery of three Boeing 787-9 aircraft to the airline, Riyadh Air has opened public ticket sales for five destinations as it begins its commercial service.
The five destinations being served initially by Riyadh Air (after London Heathrow) are:
- Jeddah, – 14th June
- Dubai, UAE – 18th June
- Cairo, Egypt – 25th June
- Madrid, Spain – 17th July
- Manchester, UK – 23 July
Riyadh Air is promising that additional routes will be announced in the coming weeks. The announcement was made during the official unveiling of the airline’s first aircraft at a gala event in Riyadh.
In addition to these scheduled route launches, Riyadh Air has announced that due to the accelerated delivery of its aircraft, the airline is bringing forward the launch of its highly anticipated first flight to London on the brand-new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Originally scheduled for July 1, flights to London will now commence on 10th June, 2026.
Each of these five new routes will be served by Riyadh Air’s newly built state-of-the-art 787-9 Dreamliners, and the first of what will be 72 Dreamliners, featuring world-class cabin interiors and experiences. These services will not only bring travellers to Riyadh but also serve as vital connection points, linking passengers from Europe and the Americas to destinations across the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and beyond.
In Quotes
Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, stated:
“Today is a momentous day for Riyadh Air as we open sales for Cairo, Dubai, Jeddah, Madrid, and Manchester. Following the arrival of our first three Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, this is a major step in our journey to connect Riyadh to the world. But this is just the beginning of our rapid expansion; in the coming weeks we will also be announcing the opening of ticket sales to many more exciting destinations.”
He added:
“These routes have been carefully selected to serve key markets for business, tourism, and trade, and are designed to facilitate seamless transit for travelers from Europe to destinations across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and beyond, aligning with our ambition to become a global airline and a significant contributor to Vision 2030. We look forward to welcoming our guests aboard to experience our distinctive Saudi hospitality as we connect these great cities and continue to redefine the future of air travel.”
Transforming lessons into flight
With the new equipment having arrived, Riyadh Air can move away from its Technical Spare and translate those lessons learned on it, as the airline transforms into a commercial operator that will have to fight for each and every customer, as every other airline does.
Its first five routes focus on markets where they can make an impact, both regionally and in Europe – although this won’t be the end of their ambition as they seek to grow Riyadh as a hub to serve both regional and long-haul destinations.
That growth will be tempered by the number of aircraft they have to play with – and deliveries of both the Boeing 787-9, Airbus A321neo and Airbus A350-1000 will be key to that vision.
As well as how much income the airline can make.
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