RIYADH, October 8, 2026 — King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh has been halted repeatedly this week by Houthi missile and drone attacks, and by Thursday afternoon nearly 45% of the day’s departures were cancelled or not operating. Saudi Arabia’s aviation authority says one person was killed and eight were injured at the airport. No return to a normal schedule has been announced.
What happened
- Wednesday, October 7: flights at RUH were suspended for more than an hour in the morning after a strike on the airport, The National reports. The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said one Sudanese resident was killed and eight people were injured, and that airport facilities were damaged. Which terminal or facility was hit: TBA.
- Thursday, October 8: the Houthis claimed another ballistic missile attack on the airport. The Associated Press reported that tracking service Flightradar24 said the airport had “closed again,” with no landing for more than 80 minutes. A witness told the AP that departures were halted and passengers were told to leave checked bags behind and evacuate. The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted two missiles aimed at Riyadh. Saudi authorities have not confirmed a hit on the airport on Thursday.
- Warning to airlines: early Thursday the Houthis warned international airlines against operating in Saudi airspace.
- Airport statement: the airport warned of delays, rescheduling and cancellations and told travellers to “check their flight status with their airlines before heading to the airport,” Gulf News reports.
- US embassy: it warned citizens of “potential flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions.”
- When normal operations resume: TBA. Gulf News reports that operations have stopped for several hours and restarted several times in recent days.
How Thursday got worse
| Time (Saudi) | Data source | RUH flights affected |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday morning | Flightradar24, via The National | 58 departures delayed (about 15%), 11 cancelled (about 3%) |
| 12:17 p.m. | Flightradar24, via Gulf Business | 114 departures delayed (about 29%), 20 cancelled (about 5%) |
| 4:25 p.m. | Cirium, via Gulf News | 169 of 378 departures (44.7%) and 124 of 369 arrivals (33.6%) cancelled or not operating |
Airline by airline
| Airline | Status at Riyadh |
|---|---|
| Saudia | 97 of 140 departures and 87 of 136 arrivals affected on Thursday |
| flynas | 30 of 91 departures and 13 of 88 arrivals affected |
| flyadeal | 20 of 54 departures and 5 of 54 arrivals affected |
| Riyadh Air | 2 of 15 departures and 2 of 15 arrivals affected |
| Turkish Airlines | All 4 departures and all 4 arrivals affected |
| Qatar Airways | 3 of 8 departures affected |
| EgyptAir | 2 of 4 departures and 2 of 4 arrivals affected |
| Emirates, Etihad | 3 departures each, no cancellations listed |
| Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo | Riyadh flights cancelled Thursday; resumption TBA |
| Philippine Airlines | Riyadh flights cancelled until at least October 11 |
| Air France | Riyadh suspended through October 24 (earlier regional suspension) |
| KLM | Riyadh and Dammam cancelled through October 24 (earlier regional suspension) |
| Cathay Pacific | Riyadh cancelled through January 31, 2027 |
| British Airways | Reduced to one daily Riyadh flight, The National reports |
Thursday’s airline counts are Cirium figures as of 4:25 p.m. Saudi time, reported by Gulf News. “Affected” means cancelled or not operating.
What it means for non-revs
- Do not plan standby travel through Riyadh right now. The airport has stopped and restarted with no notice several times this week, and nobody has given a date for normal operations.
- The flights that do operate will be full. With close to half of Thursday’s departures gone, displaced revenue passengers will take the remaining seats for days. Saudia and flynas, the biggest operators at RUH, carried most of the cancellations.
- Carry on only. A witness told the AP that evacuating passengers were told to leave checked luggage behind.
- Interline options are thin. Air France, KLM and Cathay Pacific were already out of Riyadh, and Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and the Indian carriers cancelled flights on Thursday.
- Other Saudi airports are not a sure alternative. One travel outlet reported Jeddah (JED) and Dammam (DMM) operating normally on Thursday. Verify that before relying on it, because the Houthi warning covers all Saudi airspace.
- Connecting on Saudia or Riyadh Air? Expect misconnects. Route through another hub if your pass agreements allow it.
- Check your own airline’s rules first. Look at your employee travel site for any embargo or restriction on Saudi Arabia before you list, and read your government’s travel advisory.
Sources
- The National — Riyadh airport flights delayed and cancelled after Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia
- The National — Saudi Arabia flights: Airlines including British Airways and KLM suspend or cancel routes
- Associated Press, via KSAT — Houthis claim new attack against airport in Saudi capital as witness reports evacuation
- Gulf News — Airlines Suspend Flights to Riyadh Following Houthi Airport Attack
- Gulf News — Riyadh airport warns travellers of flight disruptions following deadly Houthi attacks
- Gulf News — US-Iran standoff: What UAE residents need to know today (Oct. 8, 2026)
- Gulf Business — Riyadh airport flights disrupted as attacks trigger delays, cancellations
- FTN News — Riyadh Airport Flights Cancelled After Deadly Houthi Attacks
- Travel Tourister — Saudi Arabia Flight Status Oct. 8: Is Riyadh Airport Open?
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