Saudi carrier’s seasonal Spain route takes off as Riyadh Air pushes towards eight-destination network
Riyadh Air operated its inaugural flight between Riyadh and Malaga on July 14, opening a new seasonal route connecting Saudi Arabia with Spain’s Costa del Sol, the airline said.
The service had been confirmed earlier this month as part of a wider network expansion, with the airline previously setting out plans to run direct Riyadh-Malaga flights from July 14 to September 8, alongside a new year-round Kuala Lumpur route and the launch of a direct Riyadh-Madrid service on July 17.
Riyadh Air said the Malaga launch extends its network closer to Riyadh from Spain, with the carrier continuing to build out connections across Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The airline is directing bookings through Sfeer, its loyalty programme, which carries a Best Offer Guaranteed for members.
The Malaga route forms part of a network that already includes London, Cairo, Dubai and Jeddah, with Madrid and Manchester among further additions, as the PIF-owned carrier works towards eight destinations from Riyadh by August.
Why it matters for the trade
The inaugural flight converts a previously announced route into live capacity, giving trade partners a confirmed seasonal option into southern Spain to sell against for the remainder of the summer season, alongside the year-round Kuala Lumpur addition. With Riyadh Air continuing to add routes at pace, operators building itineraries around the carrier should treat this as further evidence the airline is moving quickly from announced schedule to operating network, worth factoring into forward planning for autumn and winter route additions.