“The flights are virtually full”: Riyadh Air reflects on two months of exclusive London Heathrow flights
December 23, 2025
At the end of October, Riyadh Air launched flights to London Heathrow from the Saudi Arabian capital.
The new flights are – unusually – not carrying typical fare-paying passengers. Instead, only members of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) can book tickets (at discounted rates) to and from London.
Riyadh Air has not officially launched to the general public yet. Its daily operation to London Heathrow uses a temporary Boeing 787 named Jamila (or beautiful in Arabic) for crew training and to iron out all possible operational and in-flight service details.
At the company’s headquarters in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh Air spoke to Aerospace Global News about the route’s performance.
Riyadh Air flights to London surpass expectations
Initially reserved just for employees of the Public Investment Fund, the flights have now been made available to those who work for companies owned by the PIF and their families. Flights began on 26 October.
In other words, of the roughly 50 eligible companies, around 100,000 employees and their families can now book flights with Riyadh Air.
“Flights are actually performing really well,” Ian Bradley, Vice President for Corporate Communications at Riyadh Air, told Aerospace Global News. He said that the numbers have “surpassed” expectations.
“The flights are virtually full,” Bradley added. “And that is both ways because Saudis are all going to London and they’re all coming back as well.”
The main aim is to collect feedback on the carrier’s service. From the choice of timing to serve breakfast to whether the wet towel carries too much water, the company is looking at every detail.
Beyond its in-flight product, Bradley says the aircraft and overall operational performance “is excellent.”
“It’s running on time virtually every single day. We have not had any real delays.”
Riyadh Air awaits its first own Boeing 787
Riyadh Air’s first Boeing 787 aircraft is currently undergoing pre-delivery preparations in the United States.
Bradley admitted that the aircraft’s first flight was scheduled within days, with final certification underway. “We’re confident it’ll be coming very soon,” he said, and added that the company hopes to be “up in the sky very quickly afterwards.”
Today, the company shared footage of the aircraft undergoing test flights.
التحليق الأول.. وبداية مرحلة جديدة ✈️
— Riyadh Air (@RiyadhAir) December 23, 2025
طائرتنا الأولى من طراز بوينج 787 دريملاينر تنفّذ رحلتها الاختبارية الأولى اليوم بقيادة طياري بوينج ضمن برنامج شامل لرحلات اختبار الطائرة، في خطوة تعكس تقدمنا بثبات نحو الجاهزية التشغيلية. pic.twitter.com/esO5TL3rEQ
The carrier has orders for 182 planes, including 72 Boeing 787-9s (39 firm and 33 options), 50 Airbus A350-1000s (25 firm and 25 options) and 60 A321neos (all firm).
The delivery timeline is equally ambitious: it plans to receive one aircraft per month from next year, rising to two per month by “the end of next year” once the A321neos roll out at the Airbus factory. As of 2028, the figure will increase to three aircraft per month.
Riyadh Air targets two new destinations per month
The number of destinations that will be added will match the rapid fleet expansion. For the next five years, the carrier will be revealing two new destinations per month.
It hopes to get started with the announcements in “early 2026,” providing a healthy network map prior to its launch in summer.
“By the end of next year, we should have a decent amount of destinations on the slate, so they’ll be coming thick and fast and over the course of the year, as we get more airplanes,” says Bradley.
When asked about the geography of the initial destinations, Bradley confirmed that they are not limited to Europe. Southeast Asia, North Africa and Europe will all feature.
Eventually, its network will span a considerable number of destinations across the world, including “pretty much every” European capital within five years, as previously stated by CEO Tony Douglas.
Only 25% of Riyadh Air’s office space is currently being used
Riyadh Air currently has around 600 employees, a number that grows each week as it pursues an aggressive recruitment strategy. With 182 planes on order, it plans to challenge its airline neighbours in the Middle East.
Aerospace Global News had the opportunity to tour the airline’s headquarters in Riyadh earlier this week. They are, by and large, a testament to the carrier’s global and premium ambitions.
With barely 25% of the office space being used, and an expansive training centre in-the-works right next door, the airline is a key element of the Saudi Arabian aviation strategy, 2030.
Although Vision 2030 is primarily a program designed to reduce the country’s oil dependency and diversify economic sources, Riyadh Air’s place goes far beyond.
It is gearing up to become a significant soft power tool, a reflection of luxury and Saudi international influence.
Will it work? Time will tell.
Featured image: Riyadh Air
