Riyadh Air gains US flight approval

Riyadh Air has secured US permission to operate flights to and from the United States, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for the PIF-owned carrier as it accelerates its challenge to established Gulf aviation rivals.

The US Department of Transportation approved the airline’s authority after Riyadh Air applied last month for a foreign air carrier permit and exemption authority covering scheduled and charter services for passengers, property and mail. The decision gives the start-up carrier the legal basis to enter the US market once aircraft, route planning, airport slots and commercial arrangements are in place.

The approval comes days after Riyadh Air began operating its first London service using its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet, moving beyond a long preparatory phase that involved certification work, brand launches, airline partnerships, aircraft orders and sales-system development. The carrier has also opened public ticket sales to multiple early destinations as it builds a network designed to connect Riyadh with major business, leisure and transit markets.

Founded in 2023 and wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund, Riyadh Air is Saudi Arabia’s second national airline after Saudia. Its mandate is wider than conventional route expansion: it is expected to support tourism, logistics, aviation employment and the broader effort to make Riyadh a major international hub under Vision 2030.

The carrier has told US regulators that it aims to serve more than 100 international destinations by 2030. Its first announced network includes London, Cairo, Dubai, Jeddah, Madrid and Manchester, with further destinations expected as more aircraft are delivered. Chief executive Tony Douglas has said the fleet is expected to reach eight aircraft by the end of July, with 22 cities targeted by March 2027.

The US approval strengthens the carrier’s international positioning at a time when Saudi Arabia is trying to expand aviation capacity sharply. The national aviation strategy seeks 330 million passengers a year, links to more than 250 destinations and cargo capacity of 4.5 million tonnes by 2030. Riyadh Air is being developed alongside airport expansion plans, including the proposed King Salman International Airport, which is intended to lift Riyadh’s long-term passenger-handling capacity.

The airline’s order book underlines the scale of the project. Riyadh Air has up to 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, 60 Airbus A321neo aircraft and up to 50 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft in its fleet plan. The 787s are central to early long-haul operations, while the A321neos are expected to support thinner regional and medium-haul routes. The A350-1000 order gives the carrier a long-range platform suitable for high-density intercontinental markets, including North America.

Riyadh Air’s US strategy is also tied to partnerships. The airline has announced or planned relationships with at least 10 carriers, including Delta Air Lines, which is due to launch nonstop Atlanta-Riyadh service on October 23, 2026. Delta and Riyadh Air signed a strategic cooperation agreement in 2024 covering future interline and codeshare connectivity, loyalty alignment, customer experience, digital cooperation and wider aviation services, subject to regulatory approval.

The Delta relationship is important because it gives Riyadh Air a potential North American distribution bridge before it operates its own US flights at scale. Delta’s Atlanta hub offers one-stop access to more than 150 US cities, while Riyadh Air’s future network would give Delta customers onward connections across Saudi Arabia, the Gulf, the wider Middle East and parts of Asia and Africa.

Competition is likely to sharpen once Riyadh Air adds US services. Saudia already links Saudi Arabia with selected US points, while Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad dominate much of the wider Gulf-to-North America premium traffic. Riyadh Air’s entry would give Saudi Arabia a second long-haul brand with a Riyadh-centred network, distinct from Saudia’s established operations from Jeddah and Riyadh.

The timing remains sensitive. Aircraft delivery delays across Boeing and Airbus have slowed expansion plans for several airlines, and Riyadh Air has already had to adjust its launch schedule around global supply-chain constraints. Regional airspace risks, fuel-price volatility and the high cost of building a premium long-haul network also add pressure to the start-up phase.