Riyadh Air Launches Daily Riyadh–Dubai Flights as New Saudi Carrier Expands Rapidly

Riyadh Air commenced daily flights between King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh and Dubai International Airport (DXB) on June 18, 2026, marking the new Saudi carrier's third scheduled route. Flight RX234 departs Riyadh at 14:05 and arrives in Dubai at 17:00; return flight RX244 departs Dubai at 18:30 and arrives Riyadh at 19:20. The 543-mile corridor is blocked at 1 hour 55 minutes outbound and 1 hour 50 minutes inbound, operated with Boeing 787-9 aircraft.

The Dubai launch follows Riyadh Air's commercial debut on June 10 with daily service to London Heathrow, and the subsequent inauguration of Jeddah domestic service on June 14. Cairo, Madrid, and Manchester are scheduled to follow in the coming weeks, according to One Mile at a Time.

Introductory fares for the Riyadh–Dubai route started from Dhs395 (approximately USD 108) one-way, positioning the carrier competitively on one of the Gulf's highest-traffic corridors. The airline's 787-9s feature Panasonic's Astrova in-flight entertainment system with content from Disney+, HBO Max, and Shahid, alongside Sfeer loyalty program enrollment perks for founding members.

Riyadh Air, backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), aims to serve more than 100 destinations worldwide by 2030 and is targeting SkyTeam alliance affiliation with codeshare partners expected to include Air France-KLM, Delta, and Virgin Atlantic, as noted by Aviation Week.

Sources

• https://onemileatatime.com/news/riyadh-air-tickets-sale-launch
• https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airports-networks/routes-networks-latest-rolling-daily-updates-wc-june-15-2026
• https://whatson.ae/2026/06/riyadh-air-to-launch-flights-to-dubai-from-june-18
• https://maaal.com/en/news/details/riyadh-air-commences-dail