Saudi flag carrier Riyadh Air has opened public ticket sales for five new routes, taking its network to six destinations after the arrival of its first three Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, the airline announced on June 7.
Jeddah, Dubai, Cairo, Madrid and Manchester join London, which already had sales open. Flights to Jeddah begin on June 14, followed by Dubai on June 18 and Cairo on June 25. Madrid starts on July 17 and Manchester on July 23. The carrier has also brought forward its inaugural London service from July 1 to June 10, citing the early delivery of its aircraft.
Each route will be operated by the airline’s new 787-9 Dreamliners, configured across four cabins seating 290 passengers, with seats designed by Safran and Recaro. The first three aircraft arrived in the kingdom over recent days, with the third, registered HZ-RXAC, landing on June 7.
The selection reflects a deliberate network strategy: Jeddah provides a domestic anchor, Dubai a Gulf business and leisure link, Cairo a major Arab capital with strong family and cultural demand, and Madrid and Manchester two European gateways. The launch positions Riyadh Air in a market dominated by Emirates, Qatar Airways and Saudia.
The expansion supports the carrier’s target of connecting Riyadh to more than 100 destinations by 2030, part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 push to grow tourism, business travel and cultural events. The airline, owned by the Public Investment Fund, has filed slots for 15 destinations from Riyadh, with the remaining nine spanning South Asia, Southeast Asia and Europe.
Riyadh Air launched with a single Dreamliner type but has further 787s and Airbus A321neos on order, building towards an eventual fleet of 72 Dreamliners.
Chief executive Tony Douglas said: “Today is a momentous day for Riyadh Air as we open sales for Cairo, Dubai, Jeddah, Madrid, and Manchester. But this is just the beginning of our rapid expansion; in the coming weeks we will also be announcing the opening of ticket sales to many more exciting destinations.”
Why it matters for the trade
Riyadh Air is the clearest signal yet that Saudi Arabia intends to compete head-on with the established Gulf hubs rather than feed them. For agents and operators, a sixth full-service Gulf carrier means more capacity and competition on Europe-to-Riyadh routings, with Manchester giving the UK trade a second British gateway beyond London. The pace of the rollout, five routes in five weeks, suggests the network will look materially different by the autumn booking season.