Riyadh Air Firms Up Major Airbus A350 & Boeing 787 Orders

Riyadh Air has firmed up a major set of widebody orders at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, exercising 28 Boeing 787 options — including a conversion of 20 of those from the 787-9 to the stretched 787-10 — and confirming six additional Airbus A350-1000s. The move raises Riyadh Air’s firm A350-1000 commitment to 31 aircraft and substantially grows its Dreamliner commitment as the carrier builds a long-haul fleet around large twinjets.

"The 787-10 will be a great complement to Riyadh Air's growing fleet and advance the airline's mission to be a world-class airline that delivers an exceptional passenger experience," said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Under the transaction, Riyadh Air exercised 28 options from a 2023 agreement for up to 72 Boeing 787-9s, converting 20 of those options to the 787-10 variant and purchasing a previously unidentified 11 Dreamliners. After the exercise, five unconverted options remain in that 2023 deal. The 787-10, at 68.3 metres in length, is the largest member of the Dreamliner family and typically offers about 50 more seats than the 787-9, while Boeing cites a roughly 25% reduction in fuel use and emissions compared to previous-generation aircraft.

The airline simultaneously added six A350-1000s by exercising options from a June 2025 agreement for up to 50 A350-1000s split between firm orders and options. That action brings Riyadh Air’s firm A350-1000 tally to 31 (25 previously locked in plus six newly exercised), leaving 19 unexercised A350-1000 options available.

Key fleet and network facts

• 28 Boeing 787 options exercised; 20 converted from 787-9 to 787-10
• 31 Airbus A350-1000s now firm (25 previously + 6 exercised)
• Riyadh Air currently operates seven Boeing 787-9s in revenue service
• First revenue flight: June 2026, King Khalid International Airport (RUH) to London Heathrow (LHR) using a 787-9
• Target: eight aircraft by end of July 2026 and 22 destinations by March 2027
• Narrowbody order: 60 Airbus A321neo-family jets placed in 2024, including A321XLR examples

Riyadh Air launched in March 2023 and completed its inaugural revenue service just over three years later in June 2026, operating RUH–LHR with a 787-9. The carrier already benefits from Dreamliner fleet commonality — it operates seven 787-9s today and highlighted operational advantages from shared flight deck systems, training and maintenance as it introduces the 787-10. The airline has not disclosed seating layouts for the 787-10; its current 787-9s carry 290 seats across business, premium economy and economy cabins.

Airbus’ A350-1000s have been earmarked for Riyadh Air’s highest-demand intercontinental routes, while the broader Dreamliner fleet is expected to form the backbone of long-haul operations. Riyadh Air’s network expansion plans include new summer routes such as Malaga (AGP), Madrid (MAD) and Kuala Lumpur (KUL), and management has signalled rapid growth in both aircraft and destinations.

Looking ahead, Riyadh Air’s exercises and conversions leave room for further fleet expansion: only five Boeing 787 options from the 2023 agreement remain unconverted, and 19 A350-1000 options are still available. With firm commitments now spanning A321neos, 787s and A350-1000s, the carrier is positioning a mixed widebody and narrowbody fleet to support an ambitious intercontinental route map through 2027 and beyond.