Riyadh Air Tickets On Sale To London, As Airline Launches Public Operations

Ambitious airline startup Riyadh Air has just announced plans to launch regularly scheduled commercial flights that are available to the public. The airline has actually already been flying for months

Riyadh Air has opened sales to the public for regularly scheduled commercial flights, with tickets available for services beginning July 1, 2026. The Saudi-backed startup, which has been operating employee-only flights on the Riyadh–London Heathrow corridor since late October 2025, says it will shortly begin flying its own custom-fitted Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners on the route after taking delivery of the first fitted aircraft.

“Today marks a truly exciting milestone for Riyadh Air as we introduce our new aircraft and signature premium experience on our established London route. It demonstrates our deep commitment to delivering a truly world-class journey for our guests, one that blends exceptional comfort, cutting-edge technology and our distinctive Saudi ‘Hafawa’ hospitality from the moment they step on board,” Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas said. “Connecting Saudi Arabia with the UK directly and beyond through our growing network of global destinations including Jeddah, Cairo and Dubai, sits at the very heart of what we are building at Riyadh Air and the Kingdom’s ambitions under Vision 2030. We look forward to welcoming our guests aboard to experience the future of air travel.”

Operations and fleet plans

Riyadh Air has previously flown the Riyadh (RUH)–London (LHR) route using a spare Boeing 787-9 that formerly served Oman Air to meet Heathrow’s winter season slot “use it or lose it” requirement. Those flights were restricted to airline employees, Public Investment Fund (PIF) staff and their families as part of a “Pathway to Perfect go-to-market plan.” The airline said that restriction will end as it introduces its own interiors and expands public services.

  • Public ticket sales effective for travel on or after July 1, 2026.
  • Published schedule: RX401 Riyadh to London departing 02:35, arriving 07:30; RX402 London to Riyadh departing 09:35, arriving 18:05.
  • Aircraft orders announced: up to 72 Boeing 787-9s, up to 60 Airbus A321neos and up to 50 Airbus A350-1000s.
  • Riyadh Air has launched its Sfeer loyalty programme and anticipates collaborations with SkyTeam carriers including Air France-KLM, Delta and Virgin Atlantic.

Fares and product

Riyadh Air is offering tiered fare bundles. Economy and premium economy have Lite, Smart and Flex options; business class is offered in Smart, Flex and Elite bundles. The carrier also lists a special Business Elite seat in the first row for which seat assignment currently costs an additional 1,000 SAR (approximately 266 USD) unless the top business fare is purchased.

  • Roundtrip London–Riyadh business class fares currently shown at about 27,000 SAR (~7,200 USD).
  • Roundtrip Riyadh–London business class fares currently shown at about 18,500 SAR (~4,930 USD).
  • A mixed-cabin strategy (one direction business, one direction economy) is available from roughly 10,500 SAR (~2,800 USD).

Outlook

After delivery of its first custom-fitted Dreamliner and the public sales launch, Riyadh Air moves from quietly operating to full commercial visibility on its marquee route to London. With a large aircraft orderbook and planned partnerships through Sfeer, the airline is positioning itself to expand beyond the initial Riyadh–London pair to destinations the CEO cited, including Jeddah, Cairo and Dubai.