Riyadh Air aims to serve ‘pretty much every’ European capital and key Asian hubs within five years
July 11, 2025
Set to launch later this year, Riyadh Air plans rapid expansion, with hopes to serve every European capital and major Asian hub by 2030.
The airline’s CEO, Tony Douglas, detailed its ambitious network growth plan during an interview with Executive Traveller.
Riyadh Air aims for the world, starting with Europe
The airline is considering two European cities for its launch flights, which will operate on the airline’s new Boeing 787s. The aircraft will be deployed on domestic feeder routes in Saudi Arabia between turns, to get maximum use out of the small fleet..
“We’ll be flying from Riyadh to let’s say ‘European capital A’ and back,” Douglas said. “Then the aeroplane will turn around and do a shorter leg on thick routes within the region – to Jeddah, for example. It will then come back to Riyadh, turn around and then do ‘European city B’, and so on.”
Douglas went on to say that the airline would be touching down at “pretty much every capital city within Europe, all the big capital cities within the Far East and most of the big capital cities within Central Asia” within the first five years.
According to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, the national carrier Saudia currently operates over 8,000 flights a year to 23 European destinations. Saudi low-cost carrier flyadeal flies to four European destinations, three of them in Turkey.
Riyadh Air plans to expand beyond Europe quickly to forge a global network. “We’re talking about connecting to well over 100 destinations,” said Douglas.
The airline will establish its presence in the Gulf, extend to the Indian subcontinent, and stretch to the East Coast of the US.
Once its fleet has grown enough to support longer routes, Riyadh Air will expand to Australia and New Zealand. In the meantime, the airline will capitalise on partnerships to gain market share.
As ch-aviation reports, the company has established memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Singapore Airlines, EgyptAir, and Air France-KLM. It is also negotiating an agreement with a North American carrier, although Douglas doesn’t say which one.
“In the early stage of building our network, we’re more likely to put on a ‘thick route’ into Singapore Changi, giving people a wonderful guest experience on Riyadh Air – and on an RX codeshare ticket, the final leg [to Australia or New Zealand] on an equally incredible product and experience with Singapore Airlines,” Douglas said.
Growing the Riyadh Air fleet
Data from ch-aviation shows that Riyadh Air currently has one Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which is used only for certification and training but will not be introduced into service.
The airline has 39 aircraft on order from Boeing, all pending delivery beginning later this year. Riyadh Air has also ordered 60 Airbus A321neos and 25 A350-1000s to help expand its fleet.
“The network builds out on every additional aircraft that arrives,” Douglas said. “Every time we get another plane, and we expect to receive on average one every month, we’ll just increase the number of those cities.”
The experience onboard Riyadh Air’s Boeing 787
In April, Riyadh Air revealed details of its Boeing 787 cabins, which will feature modern interiors with high-quality finishes.
The airline will offer a combination of four Business Elite and 24 Business class seats at the front. The airline selected Safran Unity seats, arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. These 22.5”-wide seats stretch to a 78” fully lie-flat bed.
The Premium Economy cabin will consist of 39 seats arranged in a 2-3-2 layout. The 19.2”-wide seats offer a 38” pitch.
The Economy cabin will accommodate 223 seats arranged in a 3-3-3 layout with 17.2”-wide seats and a 31” pitch.
The airline will offer large 4k OLED in-flight entertainment screens in all classes, with a 32” screen in Business Elite. Riyadh Air loyalty program members will get free access to high-speed Wi-Fi in all cabins.
“Riyadh Air has always promised to deliver a world-class experience for our guests, and the unveiling of our cabin interiors makes this ambition a reality,” said Douglas.
“The design, layout, and features of our new cabins are carefully crafted to ensure flights are as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. From the ergonomic and luxurious fabrics in the seats to the high-end technology used in the entertainment systems, every facet of the cabins has been chosen to deliver relaxing luxury.”
