Riyadh Air’s first custom-built Boeing 787-9 touches down at Heathrow after inaugural flight
Riyadh Air has operated its inaugural flight using a new Boeing 787 directly owned by the carrier, with the widebody touching down at London Heathrow Airport on Wednesday.
The aircraft, HZ-RXAA, is one of three Dreamliners to have been delivered to Riyadh Air, replacing a leased Boeing 787-9 formerly operated by Oman Air, which had been used on the route.
Riyadh Air completes first commercial flight
The arrival of the aircraft in London is the next step in the Saudi start-up’s push to launch commercial operations across the Middle East and Europe.
Until now, the daily service between the Saudi capital and Heathrow had been operated using the aircraft supplied by Oman Air, and was only open to booking by staff and their family members.
The daily flights between Riyadh and London Heathrow have been operating since October 2025 under its ‘Pathway to Perfect’ operational readiness programme.
The former Oman Air aircraft did not have Riyadh Air’s new cabin, but did enable the Saudi Public Investment Fund-owned national carrier to establish itself on the route and, crucially, hold on to its critical Heathrow slot while it waited for delayed delivery of the 787s.
Riyadh Air’s first owned widebody enters scheduled service
The Boeing 787, the first to be delivered directly to Riyadh Air, has now entered service on the carrier’s Heathrow route. The carrier has two more in its possession, HZ-RXAC and HZ-RXAB, alongside HZ-RXX, which it leased from Oman in January 2025.
It expects to take new aircraft deliveries every week in the coming years as it rapidly builds up its fleet.
The Riyadh-London route is served by daily flights on the following schedule:
| Route | Flight number | Frequency | Departure | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Heathrow (LHR) to Riyadh (RUH) | RX402 | Daily | 09:35 | 18:05 |
| Riyadh (RUH) to London Heathrow (LHR) | RX401 | Daily | 02:35 | 07:30 |
All times are local.
At the same time as the inaugural London flight, Riyadh Air has opened ticket sales for flights to five destinations – Cairo, Dubai, Jeddah, Madrid and Manchester.
The carrier announced the destinations, with additional routes to follow in the coming weeks, while unveiling its new aircraft at a gala event in Riyadh.
Two of the airline’s first custom-built Dreamliners arrived in Riyadh on June 5, with a third landing on June 7.
In a statement, the PIF said: “The deliveries represent a milestone, connecting Riyadh and Saudi Arabia with key global, regional and domestic centres of business, culture and tourism.”
Riyadh Air aims for 100 destinations by 2030
Despite the delays in receiving the aircraft from Boeing, Riyadh Air still aims to fly to more than 100 destinations by 2030.
With ticket sales to London on the new Dreamliners already open, the airline has now expanded availability to six routes.
Riyadh Air will serve each route with new 787-9s, the first in a planned fleet of 72 Dreamliners.
The new routes will open in a staggered schedule over the next six weeks.
Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, said: “This is the birth of the world’s newest airline and the celebration of another major milestone in Riyadh Air’s evolution into a world-class, global carrier.
The departure of our first commercial flight on our brand-new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner – just five days after its arrival in Riyadh – is the culmination of immense dedication from our team and partners.
This daily service not only delivers a new standard of luxury and guest comfort, but it also brings vital new connectivity for passengers traveling from the UK onward to key destinations around the world.”
What is it like onboard Riyadh Air’s new fleet?
Riyadh Air’s Boeing 787-9 cabins have a four-class layout – Business Elite, Business, Premium Economy and Economy.
Business Elite and Business both feature a fully flat 1-2-1 seating arrangement, giving direct aisle access. Each seat includes Bluetooth audio connectivity, USB-A and USB-C charging, and sound integrated into the headrest.
Premium Economy has a 2-3-2 layout, with added privacy wings on the headrests and expanded personal storage.
Economy has a 3-3-3 configuration with six-way adjustable headrests and USB-C charging at each seat.
Across all cabins, the airline is pairing its seating product with a next-generation entertainment system featuring hundreds of films and TV shows, music libraries, and Bluetooth-enabled wireless audio.
Passengers also receive curated onboard service touches, including Saudi-inspired hospitality products, bespoke amenity kits in premium cabins and tailored bedding.
Featured image: Riyadh Air
