Much Awaited Flight by Riyadh Air Took-Off Today, A Premium Carrier is Born !

• Riyadh Air completed its inaugural passenger flight to London Heathrow on October 26, 2025.
• The inaugural flight by its Boeing 787-9 technical spare aircraft, "Jamila”, marked an important phase in its strategic growth plan.
• The London service will run daily and is currently limited to Riyadh Air employees and select guests.
• By 2030, the carrier plans to serve more than 100 destinations worldwide.
• In April, the airline received approval from the General Authority of Civil Aviation to begin flight operations.

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier, launches daily flights from Riyadh to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) as its inaugural flight commenced today, October 26, 2025.

This launch is among the key steps, being taken by Saudi Arabia's new Leadership, to develop a world-class aviation industry and create a global hub for business and tourism. The Kingdom’s National Tourism Strategy targets over 150 million visitors annually by 2030, with the sector contributing 10 percent to gross domestic product.

Project launched in 2023 by KSA Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Riyadh Air is expected to add more than $20 billion to the Kingdom’s non-oil GDP and create over 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.

For this inaugural flight, the passenger list was limited to Riyadh Air employees, staff from the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Saudi sovereign wealth fund behind the carrier, and invited guests.

"Today, our first inaugural flight arrived in London, marking a new step in our journey to launch from Riyadh to the world and reach more than 100 destinations by 2030," the airline shared on social media. 

The flight, designated RX401, took-off from the Riyadh King Khalid International Airport at 3:26 a.m. LT and landed at London Heathrow Airport 6 hours and 48 minutes later.

The aircraft used for the inaugural service was a Boeing 787‑9 Dreamliner (HZ-RXX). This plane has been serving as Riyadh Air’s technical spare and training aircraft since early 2025, leased from Oman Air while the airline awaits delivery of its own new fleet.

The airline also previously announced that the launch flights to London will see flights to Dubai added soon after, transparently demonstrating Riyadh Air's rigorous commitment to operational excellence.

The much awaited flight also comes after Riyadh Air secured its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) in April this year, and it represents the airline’s official entry into the global market.

The Airline has major fleet orders in place, that includes 72 Boeing 787s, 60 Airbus A321neos, and up to 50 Airbus A350s,  with the first brand‑new aircraft expected to arrive before the end of 2025.

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