Riyadh Air facts for kids
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| Founded | March 12, 2023 |
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| Commenced operations | 2025 |
| Hubs | King Khalid International Airport |
| Fleet size | 125 (on order) |
| Destinations | 100 (planned) |
| Parent company | Public Investment Fund |
| Headquarters | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Key people |
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Riyadh Air is a new airline from Saudi Arabia, based in Riyadh. It is the country's second main airline, after Saudia. Riyadh Air's main base, called a hub, is at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
The airline plans to fly to over 100 places on six continents around the world. Its fleet will include different types of planes, such as the Airbus A321neo, Airbus A350-1000s, and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. Riyadh Air started its first commercial flights in 2025.
Riyadh Air works with other airlines like Delta Air Lines, China Eastern Airlines, Saudia, Virgin Atlantic, Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Air China, and Egyptair. These partnerships help passengers connect to more places.
The airline is owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). Yasir Al-Rumayyan, who leads the PIF, is the chairman of Riyadh Air. Tony Douglas is the CEO. Riyadh Air is expected to help Saudi Arabia's economy grow and create more than 200,000 jobs.
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How Riyadh Air Started
On March 12, 2023, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, announced that Riyadh Air would be created. Just two days later, the airline ordered 39 Boeing 787-9 planes, with an option to buy 33 more later.
Riyadh Air showed off its first airplane design, called a livery, on June 4, 2023. This design was painted on a Boeing 787-9. On the same day, the airline received its special code "RX" from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This code is used for flights and tickets.
On June 12, 2023, Boeing delivered the first plane to Riyadh Air's fleet. Two days later, on June 14, 2023, the airline received its license to start commercial flights from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). This license was very important for them to begin flying passengers.
At the Paris Air Show on June 21, 2023, Riyadh Air signed a deal for 90 GE Aerospace's GEnx-1B engines. These engines power its future fleet of 39 Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
On July 9, 2024, Riyadh Air signed an agreement with Delta Air Lines. This agreement helps the two airlines work together on things like sharing flights and making their frequent-flier programs similar for customers.
On October 30, 2024, Riyadh Air confirmed an order for 60 Airbus A321neo planes.
On January 15, 2025, Riyadh Air received its first Boeing 787-9 aircraft. This plane is leased and is used for training and as a spare part.
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On April 6, 2025, Riyadh Air received final approval from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to start its flight operations.
On June 16, 2025, Riyadh Air announced an order for 25 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft at the Paris Air Show. They also have the option to buy 25 more of these planes.
Sports Sponsorships
Riyadh Air has sponsored several sports teams, especially in football. In 2023, Riyadh Air became the shirt sponsor for the football team Atlético Madrid.
The next year, Riyadh Air sponsored CONCACAF, which is a football group for North America. This made Riyadh Air the official airline for their events. Later that year, Riyadh Air also bought the rights to name Metropolitano Stadium, which is the home stadium for Atlético Madrid.
Where Riyadh Air Flies
Riyadh Air has not yet shared its full list of destinations. However, it has agreements to work with these airlines:
- Air China
- Air France–KLM
- China Eastern Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Egyptair
- Saudia
- Singapore Airlines
- Turkish Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
Riyadh Air's Fleet
Riyadh Air has a growing fleet of aircraft. Here's a look at the planes they have and those they have ordered:
| Aircraft | In service |
Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | ||||
| Airbus A321neo | — | 60 | TBA | Order with conversion rights to the longer-range LR and XLR variants. |
| Airbus A350-1000 | — | 25 | TBA | Order with 25 purchase rights. |
| Boeing 787-9 | — | 39 | TBA | Order with 33 purchase rights. |
| 1 | — | 288 | Leased from Oman Air to be used only as a technical spare and training aircraft. | |
| Total | 1 | 124 | ||
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See Also
- List of airlines of Saudi Arabia
- List of Saudi Vision 2030 projects
