Riyadh Air Wins Approval to Operate US Flights

18/06/2026 02:50 AST

Saudi Arabia's new airline Riyadh Air won the right to operate flights to and from the United States, the US Transportation Department said in an order Tuesday.

The airline launched its first London flight on its new Boeing fleet last week. Launched in 2023, Riyadh Air is Saudi Arabia's second national airline ?after Saudia, ?and is owned by the country's ?Public ?Investment Fund.

USDOT ?said "the grant of this authority is consistent with the public interest."

Riyadh Air told USDOT when it sought approval last month that it intends to operate to more than 100 international destinations by 2030 and currently ?has or is planning partnerships with ?at least 10 ?international air carriers including Delta Air Lines.

Delta has said ?it plans to begin nonstop service ?to Riyadh from Atlanta in October.

Deliveries are set to bring its fleet to eight by the end of July, and it plans to fly ?to 22 cities by March 2027, Riyadh CEO Tony Douglas said last ?week.

With ?up to 72 787s and as many as 60 A321neos and 50 A350s on order, Douglas calls it "the biggest global aviation startup in modern history".

The airline is part of the Kingdom's plan to diversify its economy into new industries such as tourism, logistics and technology.

Riyadh Air has announced routes to Cairo, Dubai, Jeddah, Madrid and Manchester so far, and cities in India are likely to follow, Douglas said.


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