RUH Update: Etihad Off Riyadh Until November 5 as Airlines Push Returns Back

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — October 23, 2026 — Update to our October 22 report. King Khalid International Airport is still only partly working, and several foreign airlines pushed their return dates further out in the past day. Etihad now has no Riyadh flights until November 5, and Singapore Airlines has moved its planned Riyadh launch to March 2027.

What changed in the past 24 hours

Airport status: The National says the airport has partly reopened but “international services remain heavily disrupted.” Gulf News quotes a US advisory saying operations at the airport remain suspended, and notes that Australia and Canada advise against travel to it.
Etihad extends: Abu Dhabi–Riyadh flights are now cancelled until November 5, up from October 24 in earlier lists. The same date applies to Dammam and four Jeddah flights (EY601–EY604).
Oman Air extends: All Riyadh flights are suspended until October 31. Earlier reports had them back on October 22.
Singapore Airlines delays its launch: The planned nonstop Riyadh service now starts March 28, 2027.
ITA Airways: Riyadh is suspended through November 18.
Riyadh Air: Gulf News lists Riyadh flights suspended through October 25, with flexible rebooking for eligible bookings through October 31.
Passenger help at the airport: The airport runs a 24-hour “Ask Me” service and will store luggage for up to 15 days.

Airline status at a glance

The two lists published on October 23 do not always agree. Where they differ, both dates are shown.

Airline	Riyadh status
Etihad	Cancelled until November 5
Emirates	Suspended until October 25 (The National); until operations resume (Gulf News)
flydubai	Cancelled through October 29 (The National); through October 24 (Gulf News)
Air Arabia	Cancelled; resumption TBA
Qatar Airways	Suspended through October 24
Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, SriLankan	Suspended through October 24
Riyadh Air	Suspended through October 25 (Gulf News)
Oman Air, SalamAir, KLM	Suspended until October 31
British Airways	Limited return November 3, one flight a day
Air France	Through November 7 (Gulf News); through October 24 (The National)
Lufthansa	Suspended until November 18
ITA Airways	Suspended through November 18
Philippine Airlines	PR654/PR655 suspended until November 29
Cathay Pacific	Suspended until January 31, 2027
Delta	Atlanta–Riyadh launch moved from October 23 to March 2027
Singapore Airlines	Launch moved to March 28, 2027
Pakistan International Airlines	Suspended since October 9; resumption TBA
Gulf Air	Operating as scheduled after October 18 (The National); until the airport reopens (Gulf News). Confirm with the airline.
Kuwait Airways, Malaysia Airlines	Until the airport reopens (Gulf News)

What it means for non-revs

Plan on no Gulf-carrier connections to Riyadh before November. With Etihad out until November 5 and Oman Air until October 31, the Abu Dhabi and Muscat routings are closed for now, and Emirates and flydubai dates are still unsettled.
Don’t trust a single list. The two main published lists give different dates for Emirates, flydubai, Air France and Gulf Air. Check the airline’s own site and your flight’s status before you list.
Remaining seats will be tight. With so many carriers away, any flight that does operate to Riyadh is likely to be full of displaced passengers, so standby chances are poor.
Use the luggage storage if you get stuck. The airport will hold bags for up to 15 days, which helps if you need to reroute in stages.
Check government advice and your airline’s travel rules. The US, Australia and Canada have all issued warnings about the airport, and your airline may limit employee travel to the region.