Riyadh Air adds Malaga, Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur to its growing network

Riyadh Air has confirmed it will begin operating flights to Malaga, Spain, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Dhaka, Bangladesh, in the coming weeks, following the launch of its inaugural full-service route to London Heathrow on 10 June.

The airline had been operating non-revenue flights to London Heathrow since late 2025. However, these flights were reserved for airline employees and guests. And while revenue flights had originally been scheduled to begin on 1 July, they were brought forward following an official welcome ceremony in Riyadh for the airline’s first owned Dreamliner.

By mid-August, the airline’s network will span London and Manchester in the UK;  Dubai in the UAE; Jeddah in Saudi Arabia; Madrid and Malaga in Spain; Cairo in Egypt; Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia; and Dhaka in  Bangladesh.

Riyadh Air’s steady route rollout

Since launching commercial operations at London Heathrow at the beginning of June, the carrier has been rapidly ramping up its network. Flights to Cairo International Airport (the airline’s fourth destination to launch) began on 25 June, operated by one of the airline’s new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. A second daily service was then added on 29 June.

The Riyadh-Cairo link addresses the significant demand for regional connectivity between Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The route frequently ranks among the top 10 busiest cross-border and international routes. It is expected to facilitate seamless travel for pilgrims, business travellers, tourists, and those visiting friends and family across the Red Sea. It also builds on a 2024 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Riyadh Air and EgyptAir in 2024 to strengthen connectivity between the two countries.

Flights to Malaga will coincide with Europe’s peak summer season. The non-stop route will run from 14 July through to 8 September and will complement the route to the Spanish capital, Madrid, which will start on 17 July. Kuala Lumpur begins on 30 July, followed by the Dhaka route on 7 August.

Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, said that “connecting Saudi Arabia with the UK directly and beyond through our growing network of global destinations sits at the very heart of what we are building at Riyadh Air and the Kingdom’s ambitions under Vision 2030.”

Riyadh Air’s strategy to serve 100 destinations

Riyadh Air was launched in March 2023 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with backing from the Public Investment Fund (PIF). It has set a target of serving more than 100 destinations by 2030 – a fourfold expansion of its current network within the next four years.

That target sits within Saudi Arabia’s wider National Aviation Strategy, which aims to connect the Kingdom to more than 250 destinations globally, making Riyadh Air’s ambition a subset of that state-level push, rather than a standalone bet.

The airline already has codeshare frameworks with SkyTeam and Star Alliance members and has confirmed plans to partner with airlines including Saudia, Air China, Singapore Airlines, Delta, Virgin Atlantic and Air France-KLM. These collaborations will help extend the network faster than organic route launches alone. Riyadh Air has also applied for a US operating permit with transatlantic services planned ahead of Expo 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

Delivery delays leave a note of caution over Riyadh Air’s expansion plans

Riyadh Air expects to operate a fleet of eight Boeing 787s by early August. It currently has firm orders for 60 Airbus A321neos, 25 Airbus A350-1000s and 39 Boeing 787-9 aircraft, as well as purchase rights for 25 additional A350s and 33 Boeing 787s.

However, aircraft delivery delays are already a cause for concern. The Airbus A320 programme slipped back to late 2026. In addition, many of the routes in Riyadh Air’s current network are already served by other carriers from Riyadh (primarily with Saudia Airlines). This means the airline will initially at least compete on existing routes with a national carrier rather than opening new city pairs. The airline is also launching amid surging fuel prices and disruptions in Middle Eastern airspace, both of which add cost and complexity to network planning.

Douglas previously admitted to Arabian Business that connecting 100 cities is a big target, but he remains confident he can meet it. With Riyadh Air’s fleet orderbook, PIF backing and alliance partnerships, the target is ambitious but plausible.

Featured image: Riyadh Air