Riyadh Air Confirms Late 2025 Launch

Riyadh Air has confirmed its intention to launch before the end of 2025, as preparations intensify.

The carrier is hoping for a late-Q4 launch and the delivery of two Boeing 787 Dreamliners before the end of the year to make all of this happen, according to comments from the airline’s CEO, Tony Douglas, to Aviation Week.

Riyadh Air is all but cleared for takeoff after obtaining its Air Operator Certificate from the GACA—General Authority of Civil Aviation—Saudi Arabia.

The flight testing campaign began in September 2024, when Riyadh Air confirmed it had been granted permission to commence non-commercial flights from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s capital city, Riyadh.

However, its launch has been complicated. On several occasions, Riyadh Air has been forced to delay the launch of scheduled passenger services.

The delays have primarily stemmed from their inability to take on Boeing 787 jets, which are crucial to launching flights.

Previously, the Saudi Arabia-based carrier had been targeting a highly anticipated launch around the midpoint of the 2025 calendar year, which was deemed impossible. Even a Q3 launch was also seen as unattainable.

A New Cabin Announced

The announcement of the airline’s launch follows a landmark unveiling of the interior cabin, which had long been speculated about but had not been officially revealed until now.

The state-of-the-art new interior, revealed, will feature an eye-catching product that incorporates the latest technologies, while also placing a strong focus on comfort.

Business Class will feature a 1-2-1 fully flat-bed layout, measuring 78 inches in length and 22.5 inches in width. A large 4K OLED screen will be present in every seat, however, a 32 inch screen in Business will be the largest in the world.

The Business Elite will feature four seats, while their more standard Business Class will have 24 seats, all in a 1-2-1 configuration. However, with even 52-inch-high walls and a sliding privacy door, the space will ensure that it feels like your own.

The airline’s Premium Economy cabin will be a 2-3-2 layout with a 38-inch pitch and a width of 19.2 inches. The airline confirms that there will be 39 seats to accommodate passengers in this class.

The Economy class will naturally make up the bulk of the chain with 223 seats in a 3-3-3 layout, with all the latest technologies and a focus on ergonomic comfort and attention to detail.

In total, Riyadh Air confirms that its Boeing 787s will be able to seat 290 passengers. This aircraft will be crucial to the airline’s launch by the end of the year and initial development of its route network.

But Who Are Riyadh Air?

Riyadh Air remains one of the more ambitious airline launches across recent history. Unveiled by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of their ambitions to boost the economy across future decades.

As part of the efforts to make Saudi Arabia a desirable location, greater emphasis has been placed on building the aviation sector. Riyadh Air aims to play a pivotal role in facilitating this process.

Former Etihad Airways executive Tony Douglas backs the airline, and the team is comprised of other high-profile executives. The team aims to create a thriving global airline.

Despite initially focusing on a premium service with wide bodies, the emerging airline hasn’t prioritised competing with neighbouring and far more established airlines, such as Etihad, Qatar, and Emirates.

Instead, Riyadh Air was described in 2023 as an airline with great potential across niche markets. Executives have already rejected claims that it wouldn’t be financially viable as it plots aggressive expansion.