RUH Update: Riyadh Open to Saudi Airlines Only as Foreign Carriers Push Returns Into November

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — October 21, 2026 — Update to our October 20 report. King Khalid International Airport is open again, but on Wednesday only Saudi airlines were flying there, and the list of foreign carriers staying away has grown longer, with several now off Riyadh into November or later.

What changed in the past 24 hours

Saudi carriers only: The Associated Press reported that “only Saudi airlines were operating there on Wednesday,” with Saudia and flynas flying according to FlightAware data.
Lufthansa Group pushes out further: Gulf News lists Lufthansa Group as suspended at Riyadh through November 18 and at Dammam through November 30. Eurowings plans to return to Jeddah on November 12. AP separately reports Lufthansa and Air France cancelled through mid-November.
Etihad: All Abu Dhabi–Riyadh and Abu Dhabi–Dammam flights, plus several Abu Dhabi–Jeddah services, are cancelled through October 24. A restart on October 25 is not guaranteed.
Qatar Airways: Riyadh and Dammam suspended through October 24; Jeddah cut from seven to four daily flights.
British Airways: Limited Riyadh service is due to resume November 3.
KLM: Riyadh and Dammam cancelled through October 31.
Emirates and flydubai: Dubai–Riyadh flights are still shown as cancelled, with no resumption date given.
Drones intercepted: Saudi air defences intercepted five drones on Wednesday; AP reports they were destroyed over Medina.

Airline status at a glance

Airline	Riyadh status
Saudia, flynas	Operating (AP, October 21)
Riyadh Air, flyadeal	Flights listed on October 20 (The National)
Oman Air	Suspended until October 22
Etihad	Cancelled through October 24
Qatar Airways	Suspended through October 24
Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo	Suspended through October 24
Akasa Air	Suspended through October 27
KLM	Cancelled through October 31
SalamAir	Cancelled through October 31
British Airways	Limited service resumes November 3
Lufthansa Group	Suspended through November 18
Air France	Cancelled; reported end dates differ (through October 24 per Gulf News, mid-November per AP)
Philippine Airlines	Suspended through November 29
Cathay Pacific	Suspended through January 31, 2027
Delta	Atlanta–Riyadh launch postponed to March 2027
Emirates, flydubai, Air Arabia, PIA	Cancelled; resumption date TBA
Gulf Air	Gulf News lists it as operating as scheduled after October 18; earlier reports said it was still suspended. Confirm with the airline.

Every arrival and departure at Riyadh still needs prior permission from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation. Gulf News also notes that a flight showing on a schedule does not confirm it will operate. Jeddah, Madinah and Dammam remain operational, though disruption continues there too.

What it means for non-revs

Treat Riyadh as Saudi-carrier-only for now. If your pass privileges are on a foreign airline, assume no Riyadh service until the dates above, and check again before every trip because dates keep moving.
Expect very full Saudi-operated flights. With most foreign carriers gone, the remaining Saudia, flynas, flyadeal and Riyadh Air flights are absorbing displaced passengers, so standby chances will be poor.
Jeddah is not a clean workaround. Qatar Airways has cut Jeddah frequencies and several airlines have also suspended Jeddah or Dammam, so loads there are likely to be heavy as well.
Don’t go to the airport on the strength of a schedule listing. Confirm the specific flight with the airline before leaving, as GACA approval is still required for every movement.
Check government advice. Canada advises against all travel to the airport, and the UK and Australia have issued warnings. Your airline may also restrict employee travel to the region.