New Gulf carrier Riyadh Air launches invite-only test flights, ahead of ambitious 98-destination rollout and full commercial services.
Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s ambitious new carrier, will begin operations today with an exclusive twist: its inaugural London-Riyadh route will initially be available only to airline employees and families of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The exclusive initial phase, which requires passengers to join the carrier’s new Sfeer loyalty program, marks an unusual soft opening for Saudi Arabia’s ambitious new national airline. Daily flights between Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and London Heathrow Terminal 4 will operate with a leased Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner until the airline’s own fleet arrives.
“We have 182 aircraft on order and will be getting one new plane and soon two or three every month,” CEO Tony Douglas revealed in an interview with Telegraph Travel. The general public will need to wait until December to book tickets, with full commercial services expected to launch in early 2025.
The state-backed carrier is set to become the fourth major Gulf airline, joining the ranks of Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad. With plans to serve 98 destinations within five years, starting with Dubai as its second route, Riyadh Air represents Saudi Arabia’s biggest push yet into global aviation.
The launch aligns with the kingdom’s dramatic tourism expansion, as it prepares to host both the 2034 FIFA World Cup and 2030 World Expo. When public sales begin, travelers can expect to pay a premium – analysts predict economy return fares around £800 with business class at £4,500, approximately 10-15 percent higher than existing carriers on the route.
