Riyadh Air The Hottest New Airline of The Decade?
For the last 2 years a brand new airline has been in the making and one from a region where you might not have expected had room for a second national airline !
But such is the ambition of Saudi Arabia’s leadership. Riyadh Air is Saudi Arabia’s ambitious new national airline, established in March 2023 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), it aims to transform Riyadh into a major global aviation hub and support the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy and boost tourism. If Dubai and tiny Qatar could do this, surely Saudi can?
Leadership and Vision
The airline is led by CEO Tony Douglas, former chief of Etihad Airways, bringing extensive experience in Gulf aviation.
Douglas emphasizes a digital-first, customer-centric approach, positioning Riyadh Air as a modern, tech-driven carrier. The airline is designed to be a “digital-native” airline, built from scratch without legacy systems, allowing for innovative passenger experiences.
Combined with deep pockets of the like we have not seen since perhaps the birth of Emirates, this is a unique proposition to create a cutting edge airline with perhaps new ways of doing things entirely.
Fleet and Launch Timeline
Riyadh Air has already placed significant aircraft orders to build its fleet:
72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners
60 Airbus A321neo aircraft
In addition, the airline is currently reviewing further widebody orders which could see it make orders for either the largest Airbus A350-1000 variant or the yet to be certified Boeing 777X aircraft.
The airline plans to commence operations in the fourth quarter of 2025, following delays due to Boeing delivery setbacks.
Network and Strategic Partnerships
Riyadh Air aims to serve over 100 destinations across six continents within its first five years, focusing on direct connections to major global cities.
To enhance its global reach, the airline has established partnerships with several international carriers, including
Delta Air Lines
China Eastern Airlines
Turkish Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Air China
Egyptair
Virgin Atlantic
Saudia
The interesting thing to note here is that it’s airline partnerships would span between carriers from Star Alliance as well as SkyTeam. Furthermore, it appears the airline will work alongside Saudia – the current national airline, which means the Saudi leadership envisions more than enough room for the two national airlines based in the same city !
Riyadh Air Is Pitching Itself as a Premium Airline
Riyadh Air is targeting the premium travel segment, planning to offer luxurious first-class cabins on select aircraft, such as the Airbus A350 or Boeing 777X.
It’s interior cabin reveal for the 787 Dreamliner’s highlights its commitment to the luxury end of the market…
Not only has the airline selected one of the most cutting edge Business Class products available today – the Saffron Unity seat selected by the likes of Qantas for it’s upcoming Project Sunrise fleet as well as Air India. The airline has opted for high end finishes to this base product, with the teasers showcasing a stunning, well designed product with the latest high end tech.
The airline will also have a Business Elite class featuring amenities perhaps going beyond the industry leading Qatar Airways’ QSuite, including larger entertainment screens – thought to be 32″ ! and convertible double beds. Thus far only the likes of Qatar and Singapore Airlines have managed to offer a double bed experience.
The Business Class Plus trend has been taking shape for a number of years now with the likes of Virgin Atlantic Retreat Suites and JetBlue flying already flying them, others such as Air New Zealand, American and United are thought to be in the process of introducing them.
Embracing a digital-first strategy, Riyadh Air is developing an AI-powered mobile app to provide personalized travel experiences, aiming to modernize the way passengers interact with airline services.
Economic Impact and Market Position
Riyadh Air is expected to contribute $20 billion to Saudi Arabia’s non-oil GDP and create over 200,000 jobs.
By establishing Riyadh as a central aviation hub, the airline seeks to compete with regional carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways, offering direct flights that bypass traditional super-connector airports.
Overall Thoughts
Riyadh Air represents a significant step in Saudi Arabia’s efforts to diversify its economy and establish itself as a key player in global aviation, combining traditional hospitality with modern technology to offer a unique travel experience.
This may seem a very optimistic project and I do hope the airline manages to scale to its current ambitions. While we can safely say, the airline has the funds and backing to take off ( this is the country that is set building a futuristic dessert city, potentially costing over a trillion dollars ! ) I do expect there will be many challenges ahead of it in order to remain a sustainable, self driving project going forward.
Aside from the livery, which I think its absolutely stunning, I like the with a unique colour scheme of lavender tones, which really pops. The first cabin reveal this week shows the leadership mean business and signifies the injection of a fresh attitude and perspective to aviation none of us knew we needed !
Is Riyadh Air The Hottest New Airline of the decade? I think so and simply cannot wait to fly it!
Faze, founder of Wander Up Front and Elevate Your Stay, is a London-based travel specialist with a deep passion for aviation. With over 2 million miles flown, he has spent the last 7 years focusing on First and Business class experiences.
Faze provides straightforward, no-frills insights into premium airline products and services, sharing what matters to help travellers make informed choices.
Follow him on his adventures and behind the scene stories on Instagram !