Riyadh Air expects flights for general public to start in first quarter of 2026

Riyadh Air expects to start flights for the general public in the first quarter of 2026, after so far restricting services to its staff and their families, its owner Public Investment Fund and the fund's subsidiaries has said.

The Saudi Arabian start-up airline is considering seven new destinations on its route network after announcing London Heathrow as its first destination, followed by Dubai, Tony Douglas, chief executive of Riyadh Air, told The National.

He declined to reveal the upcoming routes, which will be announced after the airline begins service to Dubai.

“Early in the new year we will be up and running,” Mr Douglas said in an interview at the Dubai Airshow.

“We need a minimum of three aircraft before you can operate general public sales to a level that I'd be happy with.”

Riyadh Air started flights for these “launch members” on October 26 to London Heathrow using a leased Boeing 787 aircraft. It is still waiting for the first of its new 787s to be delivered.

The first aircraft, known as head of version, is currently undergoing the certification process by the US Federal Aviation Administration. A head of version is the first aircraft of a specific new model or configuration to be delivered to an airline customer. It is used as a benchmark for subsequent deliveries of the same type. In this case, this is the first Boeing 787 to be built to Riyadh Air's specifications.

“It's not in my hands … it's not even in the hands of Boeing,” Mr Douglas said. “You've got the most complex industries I've ever been around, that is one of the world's most heavily regulated industries.”

Until the head-of-version aircraft is fully certified by the FAA, it is not possible to ship some components to subsequent aircraft, he said. “Once the starting pistol has the trigger pulled on the certification of the first one, then the rest will follow.”

As the airline awaits the aircraft, it is surveying passengers on its initial flights for customer experience feedback to improve its processes – from check-in, baggage, partnerships and global connectivity – before starting general ticket sales. “It's going extremely well.”

The airline is keen to expand at Heathrow as part of its ambitious growth plans, after launching flights between Riyadh and London last month.

“Would we wish to have more slots at Heathrow, over and above the pair that we've already got? The answer of course is 'yes, please',” said Mr Douglas.

Riyadh Air, which plans to fly to Dubai International Airport as its second route when it gets more Boeing aircraft, is also targeting expansion at the world's busiest international hub. “I would be delighted to expand here as well, it goes without saying. It's one of the big, thick routes backwards and forwards into Riyadh.”

Asked when he could get more slots at these airports, he said: “I'm on to seven other cities before I come back to any of the starting ones.”

Ticket prices will be in line with fares charged by competitors in the Gulf such as Emirates and Qatar Airways.

“I'll be pricing to market. My market already exists. I've got the biggest population within the whole of the Arabian Peninsula,” Mr Douglas said.

He declined to specify pricing on Riyadh-London and Riyadh-Dubai routes, saying that it depends on seasonality and weekly or monthly price variations.