Riyadh Air Will Increase London Heathrow Flights

Riyadh Air will increase service to London Heathrow (LHR) with its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners starting 2 November 2026.

The Saudi Arabia-based carrier plans to increase its Riyadh (RUH) to London Heathrow flights from daily to nine times a week, adding flights on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Deliveries of new next-generation Boeing 787-9 jets are supporting the airline’s ability to scale its flights to the first airport it served when it launched scheduled passenger operations after a delay.

More flights to London Heathrow

The Saudi Press Agency has said the two additional return services operating during the working week will result in a daytime departure from Riyadh with an overnight return from London, lifting the current seven weekly flights to nine.

Riyadh Air will launch London Heathrow operations on 10 June 2026; however, before this, it had been using a Boeing 787-9 on daily services from as early as October 2025, on a leased aircraft, not just to maintain the slot requirements into Heathrow but, critically, as part of its operational readiness programme.

Despite the operational readiness programme running for more than half a year, the airline saw persistent delays in launching scheduled passenger flights as Boeing, the plane maker providing the first of its own production-built jets, continued to delay the handover.

After the first delivery, however, Boeing’s Dreamliner production has smoothed out, and the handover rate has increased, giving the business confidence not just to launch new routes but, critically, to improve frequency to markets like London.

Riyadh Air expands its fleet and route network quickly

Riyadh Air’s entry into the industry has been met with an expansion unlike that of traditional entrants, who adopt a more conservative approach. This airline has scaled its aircraft to near double digits, with a network featuring over 10 destinations spanning Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

By the end of 2026, Riyadh Air also intends to have close to 30 destinations on sale; that means further route announcements in the last quarter of the calendar year, supported by future deliveries planned in 2027 for the Boeing widebody type.

While Boeing has supported Riyadh Air’s early launch, the airline is also expected to take delivery of its first Airbus A321neo by year-end. The Airbus single-aisle is expected to complement the 787-9 and be critical for short- to medium-haul flights that need passenger service but do not have demand that warrants deploying a widebody.

Deliveries of Airbus and Boeing jets will therefore ramp up in 2027, with firm orders for many 787 Dreamliners, 60 A321neos, and the flagship Airbus A350-1000 also committed to scale seats on flagship international routes.

London Heathrow remains vital for the airline

The decision to scale capacity to London Heathrow reflects how important the airport, city and country are to the airline and its initial route map. The first commercial destination was no random decision, with business and leisure demand strong enough to support an immediate daily launch.

Since launching, Riyadh Air has said additional flights are the natural next step, as demand has remained strong and more flights would not only add flexibility but also give the route the capacity it needs.

Tony Douglas, the airline’s chief executive, is looking to build its presence across the UK with services to Manchester and extra Heathrow rotations, improving connectivity and strengthening the airline’s presence, especially at a slot-constrained airport notorious for limited availability and high fees.