Riyadh Air has secured slots for 15 destinations from Riyadh during the northern summer 2026 season, offering the clearest indication yet of the Saudi startup’s potential launch network as it works toward full commercial operations.
According to a start-of-season report published by Airport Coordination Limited (ACL) for Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH), the airline requested—and was allocated—5,591 slot movements for the summer 2026 scheduling period.
The slot filing lists a mix of regional, Asian and European destinations: Amman, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Cairo, Dubai, Islamabad, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, Lahore, London Heathrow, Madrid, Manchester, Manila, Mumbai and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
The routes highlight Riyadh Air’s ambition to establish long-haul connectivity from Saudi Arabia’s capital as part of the country's Vision 2030 economic diversification program. However, the filing does not guarantee the services will launch as planned, and the airline’s timetable for starting regular passenger flights has already been affected by aircraft delivery delays.
Riyadh Air began limited operational readiness flights between Riyadh and London Heathrow in late 2025 using a Boeing 787-9 aircraft previously operated by Oman Air, with passengers restricted to employees of the airline and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and their families. The flights were designed to test operational procedures before opening reservations to the public. Since then, the carrier has announced plans to begin service to Dubai and Cairo.
CEO Tony Douglas previously told Aviation Week that building a new airline amid supply chain constraints has added complexity to the launch process. “I think you’ve got more chance by being collaborative than critical,” he said of working with aircraft manufacturers. “I understand many of the challenges they’re facing.”
Riyadh Air has 39 787-9 aircraft on firm order with options for 33 more, alongside orders for up to 50 Airbus A350-1000s and 60 A321neos. The carrier ultimately aims to serve more than 100 destinations by 2030.
Of the 15 routes listed, 12 are currently served by other airlines from Riyadh, according to OAG Schedules Analyser data. Saudi flag carrier Saudia operates all 12 of those routes, while LCC flynas serves seven and flyadeal serves six. Only three routes—Madrid, Manchester and Jakarta—are currently unserved from Riyadh.
Alongside aircraft delivery delays, geopolitical developments could also affect the timing of Riyadh Air’s network rollout. Regional tensions continue to escalate following coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Iran across parts of the Gulf. Some strikes have targeted civilian infrastructure and shipping routes.
Although Saudi Arabia has not been directly involved in the conflict, the heightened security environment across the region could create additional uncertainty. The slot allocation was first published by aviation scheduling platform Aeroroutes.
Riyadh Air did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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