RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — October 31, 2026 — Saudi air defences shot down a drone over the Riyadh region on Saturday, and several airlines have pushed back their return to King Khalid International Airport (RUH). The airport is still only partly open, with no date yet for a full reopening.
Update: what changed in the past 24 hours
- Drone shot down over Riyadh (October 31): Gulf News reports that air defences intercepted and destroyed a drone over the Riyadh region on Saturday. Debris fell but nobody was hurt. Where the drone came from is not known, and the Houthis denied targeting Saudi Arabia. Gulf News did not report any new strike on the airport itself.
- Air India and Air India Express now list Riyadh and Dammam as suspended until November 14. A day earlier the date was November 7.
- Riyadh Air has cancelled some flights until November 5. Passengers booked to travel up to November 7 can change their plans.
- Kuwait Airways has cancelled Riyadh flights until operations at the airport resume. End date: TBA.
- Emirates lists Dubai–Riyadh flights EK815, EK817 and EK819, and the returns EK816, EK818 and EK820, as cancelled. End date: TBA.
- Air Arabia has cancelled Sharjah–Riyadh flights G9151, G9152, G9154 and G9155.
What hasn’t changed
- The airport partly reopened on October 25. Terminal 1 handles domestic flights and Terminal 2 handles international flights by Saudi carriers, Aerospace Global News reports.
- NOTAMs still require every airline to get approval from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) before flying to or from Riyadh. The airport cannot be used as a diversion airport. Full reopening date: TBA.
- Cirium data quoted by Aerospace Global News shows 4,071 of the 4,736 flights scheduled at RUH between October 8 and 25 were cancelled. That is 86%.
- flyadeal has moved all of its Riyadh flights to Qassim (ELQ), and Saudia’s Riyadh flights also run through Qassim. Both use bus transfers.
Airline status (as listed by Gulf News, October 31)
| Airline | Riyadh status |
|---|---|
| British Airways | One daily flight resumes November 3 |
| Gulf Air | Resumed |
| Riyadh Air | Some flights cancelled until November 5 |
| Etihad | Abu Dhabi–Riyadh and Abu Dhabi–Dammam cancelled through November 5 |
| Air France | Suspended until November 14 |
| IndiGo | Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah cancelled until November 14 |
| Air India / Air India Express | Riyadh and Dammam suspended until November 14 |
| Lufthansa | Suspended until November 18 |
| ITA Airways | Suspended until November 18 |
| KLM | Riyadh and Dammam suspended until November 27 |
| Philippine Airlines | PR654/PR655 suspended until November 29 |
| Akasa Air | Suspended until November 30 |
| Cathay Pacific | Suspended until January 31, 2027 |
| Emirates, Kuwait Airways, Air Arabia | Cancelled; return date TBA |
| Saudia / flyadeal | Operating via Qassim (ELQ) with bus transfers |
Dates can change at short notice. Check with the airline before you travel.
What it means for non-revs
- Riyadh is still not a good standby trip. Air India’s later return date and the open-ended Emirates and Kuwait Airways cancellations mean less foreign capacity in early November than it looked a day ago. Expect the seats that do exist to be heavily booked.
- Schedules can change the same day. Every flight still needs GACA approval, and Saturday’s drone shows the security situation is still changing. Check loads and flight status right before you list, not the night before.
- Know which airport you are flying into. Saudia and flyadeal “Riyadh” flights may operate from Qassim, with a bus to the city. Build that time into your trip.
- Watch British Airways’ November 3 restart. It is the next big sign of foreign airlines coming back, but expect it to fill up with stranded passengers first.
- Carry on. With moved flights and bus transfers, a checked bag is one more thing that can go astray.
- Check government advice and your airline’s pass-travel rules for Saudi Arabia before you go.
Sources
- Gulf News — “UAE flight status today: Full list of cancellations, delays and airport updates on October 31” — gulfnews.com
- Aerospace Global News — “Riyadh airport disruption: 4,071 flights cancelled as airlines delay return” — aerospaceglobalnews.com
Get NonRev Travel News by email
ADVERTISEMENT
A weekly recap newsletter, sent out every Sunday, with the airline, airport, cruise and travel-warning news that matters to airline employees and retirees. Free.
Subscribe free
