Riyadh Air receives first Boeing 787 Dreamliners and adds new routes

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier, took delivery of its first two Boeing 787‑9 Dreamliners, with a third arriving shortly after. The aircraft will form the core of a planned fleet of up to 72 Dreamliners aimed at supporting the airline’s ambition to serve more than 100 destinations by 2030.

The carrier announced the opening of ticket sales for a daily Dubai–Riyadh service that will start on 18 June 2026, using the new Dreamliners. It also unveiled five new destinations – Cairo, Dubai, Jeddah, Madrid and Manchester – with scheduled launch dates from June to July 2026. CEO Tony Douglas described the expansion as a key step in Saudi Vision 2030’s aviation strategy.

In a separate partnership move, Riyadh Air signed a memorandum of understanding with India’s Air India to explore interline and codeshare agreements, cargo collaboration and reciprocal loyalty benefits, further extending its global connectivity.