Riyadh Air moves first revenue flight forward as third 787 Dreamliner arrives
Saudi Arabian startup Riyadh Air has pulled forward its inaugural revenue service to London Heathrow by three weeks.
The changes come as the airline inducts a third Dreamliner, having received its first aircraft from Boeing just last week.
As well as London, the airline has put multiple other destinations on sale, with flights beginning throughout June and July.
Riyadh Air to start revenue flights from Wednesday, 10 June
Although Riyadh Air has been flying to London Heathrow for several months now, these have not been revenue flights. Rather, they are reserved for airline employees and guests, using a leased Oman Air Boeing 787 to nail down their operations ahead of a full launch.
The airline had originally planned to start revenue service on 1 July, with London Heathrow the first destination. But in an update shared today by AeroRoutes, Riyadh Air is now planning its first revenue flight on 10 June, in just two days.
"أول مرة أستلم طائرة سعودية وأطير فيها من المصنع إلى مدينة الرياض"؛ طيران الرياض يسدل الستار عن أولى طائرات أسطوله، إيذانًا بانطلاق عصر جديد للسفر. @RiyadhAir pic.twitter.com/siOXpxrwVO
— التواصل الحكومي (@CGCSaudi) June 7, 2026
The announcement comes hot on the heels of a glamorous ceremony in Riyadh, where the airline officially welcomed its first owned Dreamliner to the fleet. But Riyadh Air has more than just one Dreamliner.
Its first two were delivered simultaneously from Charleston and Everett, meeting up in flight to land one after the other in Saudi. Accompanied by the Saudi Hawk, the display team of the Royal Saudi Air Force, on approach to Riyadh, the pair touched down on the morning of 4 June.
Just two days later, on 6 June, a third Boeing 787-9 set off from Everett bound for Saudi Arabia. The aircraft, with tail number HZ-RXAC, landed not in Riyadh, but in Jeddah, which will be the airline’s first domestic destination.
The airline said it is expecting three additional aircraft deliveries by the end of June and two in July. From August, the delivery rate will be one aircraft a month until the end of 2026.
Tickets go on sale for multiple Riyadh Air destinations
Riyadh Air has previously shared the destinations it initially plans to operate. As well as London, these include Dubai, Madrid, Manchester, Cairo and Jeddah. All these services are now bookable with confirmed start dates
Riyadh Air’s initial route network
| Route | Launch date | Initial frequency | Aircraft | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh – London Heathrow | 10 June 2026 | Daily | Boeing 787-9 | Launch moved forward from 1 July 2026. |
| Riyadh – Jeddah | 14 June 2026 | 2 daily | Boeing 787-9 | Rises to 3 daily from 18 June and 4 daily from 2 July. |
| Riyadh – Dubai | 18 June 2026 | Daily | Boeing 787-9 | Early regional international route. |
| Riyadh – Cairo | 25 June 2026 | Daily | Boeing 787-9 | Part of the initial Middle East / North Africa network. |
| Riyadh – Madrid | 17 July 2026 | 4 weekly | Boeing 787-9 | European route operating four times a week. |
| Riyadh – Manchester | 23 July 2026 | 3 weekly | Boeing 787-9 | Second UK route after London Heathrow. |
The initial route network is set to be further augmented by additional destinations before the end of the year. Speaking at the event, CEO of Riyadh Air, Tony Douglas, said the airline intends to connect Riyadh with 22 destinations in the next nine months.
Riyadh Air: Launching into uncertainty?
Riyadh Air’s accelerated launch comes at a difficult moment for any new long-haul airline, particularly one based in the Gulf.
Fuel prices have surged, Middle East airspace disruption is adding cost and complexity to flight planning, and the airline’s first six routes still look more like a point-to-point network than the fully formed east-west connecting hub Riyadh eventually wants to become.
Riyadh Air is entering service with a high-profile brand and state-backed ambition, but also with a route map that will need to grow quickly before it can begin to challenge the region’s established super-connectors.
Featured image: Riyadh Air
