Riyadh Air, the new airline promoted by the Saudi Arabian government within the Vision 2030 program, continues to take steps in its international expansion and has confirmed the start of its operations in Spain with flights to Madrid and Malaga, consolidating the Spanish market as one of its first European destinations.
The company will inaugurate its regular connection between Madrid and Riyadh on July 17, although its debut in Spain will take place three days earlier, on July 14, with the launch of a seasonal route between Malaga and the Saudi capital, which will be operational until September 8 with three weekly frequencies (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday), operated with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
The addition of Madrid to the network of destinations was announced by Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas, coinciding with Boeing's delivery of the airline's first three Boeing 787-9s. Along with the Spanish capital, the company will also operate flights to Cairo, Dubai, Jeddah, London Heathrow, and Manchester, while preparing to announce new destinations, several of them in India.
“These routes have been carefully selected to serve key markets for business, tourism and trade, and to facilitate connections between Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, in line with our ambition to become a global airline and contribute to Vision 2030,” said Tony Douglas.
Riyadh Air began commercial operations on June 10 with a flight between London and Riyadh, three years after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the airline's creation. The airline plans to have a network of 22 destinations by March 2027. To achieve this, it has already received its first three Boeing 787-9 aircraft and expects to add three more in the coming months. In addition, Airbus will begin delivering the first A321neo aircraft from an order of 60 by the end of 2026.
In total, Riyadh Air has ordered 182 aircraft from Boeing and Airbus, one of the largest investments ever made by a newly established airline.
Riyadh Air's Boeing 787-9s will offer four classes of service: Elite Business, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy. The two Business cabins will feature lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, while Premium Economy will have a 2-3-2 layout, and Economy will have a 3-3-3 configuration.
The company will also focus on an advanced digital experience, with high-speed internet on board and an entertainment system that will allow passengers to connect their own devices and play their personal content on individual seatback screens.
Alliances and international growth
As part of its expansion strategy, Riyadh Air has already signed agreements with eleven airlines to facilitate connections beyond its own network, including Delta Air Lines and Singapore Airlines.
The response from the job market has also exceeded expectations. As Tony Douglas explained, since the project's launch two and a half years ago, the company has received more than two million job applications from 146 countries and currently employs cabin crew from 60 different nationalities.
With the addition of Madrid and Malaga to its network, Riyadh Air strengthens its presence in Europe and continues to advance in its goal of becoming one of the leading international airlines.
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