Riyadh Air Begins Scheduled Passenger Service From July 2026

Riyadh Air opened public ticket sales on May 19, 2026 for its Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH) to London Heathrow Terminal 4 (LHR) route, with fully commercial flights beginning July 1, 2026. The service operates daily on new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft in a four-class configuration: Business Elite, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy.

Flight RX401 departs Riyadh at 02:35 and arrives London at 07:30; RX402 departs London at 09:35, arriving Riyadh at 18:05. Economy fares from July 1 start from SAR 3,404 (approximately US$907), with Business Elite from SAR 22,465 (approximately US$5,987).

The Riyadh–London route has operated since October 2025 as part of an internal readiness programme, using a leased Oman Air 787-9 exclusively for Riyadh Air employees and Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) affiliates. This phase maintained the carrier's valuable Heathrow slot allocation under the aviation industry's 80/20 use-it-or-lose-it rule while completing crew certification. Riyadh Air's own delivered 787-9 (registered HZ-RXAA) takes over from July 1.

The 787-9 features Bluetooth audio, USB-C/USB-A ports at every seat, and inflight entertainment including Disney+, HBO Max, and Shahid. Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas called the launch "a truly exciting milestone" and said the airline aims to reach 100 international destinations by 2030 under Saudi Vision 2030.

Sources: AeroRoutes, Skift, Gate Checked, Connecting Travel

Sources

• https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/260519-rxjul26lhr
• https://www.gatechecked.com/riyadh-air-to-start-riyadh-london-service-from-july-1-2026-public-bookings-now-open-11700
• https://skift.com/2026/05/19/riyadh-air-opens-bookings-for-formal-london-launch
• https://connectingtravel.com/news/riyadh-air-opens-london-flight-bookings