October 2, 2026 — Riyadh Air (RX) will take four more aircraft before the end of the year, including its first Airbus A321neo, and is using the growth to add London Heathrow flights from November 2.
What happened
Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier currently flies eight aircraft. FlightGlobal reports three more Boeing 787-9s and the airline’s first A321neo are due before year-end. Riyadh Air has more than 60 787s on firm order.
The first use of the extra capacity is Heathrow. Two additional Riyadh–London round trips, on Mondays and Wednesdays, take the route from daily to nine flights a week starting November 2. The added flights leave Riyadh in the daytime and return from London overnight.
Riyadh Air’s build-up
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fleet today | 8 aircraft |
| Due by end of 2026 | 3 Boeing 787-9s, 1 Airbus A321neo |
| Destinations today | 14 |
| Destinations targeted by end of 2026 | Nearly 30 |
| Heathrow from November 2 | 9 flights a week |
| First A321neo routes | TBA |
Chief executive Tony Douglas said the extra flights give “more choice and flexibility” on the route.
What it means for non-revs
- Check whether your airline has a ZED agreement with Riyadh Air yet. The carrier is new, and interline staff-travel deals are still being signed. Do not assume one exists.
- If you can list, the new Monday and Wednesday Heathrow flights are the ones to try. Newly added midweek frequencies usually take time to fill.
- A network that roughly doubles by year-end needs people. Going from 14 to nearly 30 destinations means more crew, engineers and station staff. Worth a look if you are job-hunting.
