Airbus A350-1000s Ordered By Riyadh Air

Riyadh Air has firmed up an order for six additional Airbus A350-1000s at the Farnborough Airshow, thus strengthening its commitment to the widebody family.

The airline, now among the largest customers of the largest variant in the A350 family, sees further momentum now for its own aggressive expansion out of Saudi Arabia.

The newest agreement lifts the backlog to 31 aircraft. It converts part of a previously held purchase right into firm commitments, contingent on a fleet evaluation and a successful launch of commercial service.

Riyadh Air’s A350-1000 Fleet Grows

Airbus and Riyadh Air announced the signing of the A350-1000 contract at the Farnborough Airshow 2026, and, following a deal signed with Boeing for the 787 Dreamliner, the 787-10 part of that contract debuted in the backlog for the first time.

The six A350-1000s will be added to the firm order the Saudi-based carrier placed for the jet in 2025 at the Paris Airshow, where 25 aircraft were included at the time, and purchase rights for a further 25 brought the total to 50.

During this signing, while the 25 firm units were noteworthy, observers highlighted the clear pathway provided by the 25 options to grow the A350-1000 fleet to 50. Now, just 13 months later, the business is making inroads into that, with six of these options being firmed up.

According to the latest contract figures, Riyadh Air has 31 jets locked in for delivery and still holds purchase rights for 19 more A350-1000s, should it wish to convert them at a later date if demand warrants.

Riyadh Air Doubles Down On The Flagship

Riyadh Air’s decision to firm additional A350-1000s reflects the ambitious strategy it’s now pursuing. This strategy sees the business look to build a global long-haul network at a pace not often seen across the industry.

Owned by the Public Investment Fund, the carrier has been tasked with helping Saudi Arabia reach more than 100 destinations worldwide by 2030 and complementing Saudia and others by scaling up flights and annual passenger numbers.

The A350-1000 and doubling down on the flagship gives the business exactly that: a flagship that sits above its commitment to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The largest A350 variant is high-capacity and, when complemented by strong-range trunk routes where a Dreamliner is not adequate, provides an efficient alternative.

While these A350-1000s have yet to be delivered, they will sit above the 787-9 and future 787-10 jets in the fleet mix, and for the moment, with no Boeing 777-9 order, represent the flagship and largest aircraft in the backlog.