Riyadh Air has placed its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner into commercial service, operating the aircraft on the airline’s daily route between Riyadh and London Heathrow.
The flight marked the debut of the first aircraft delivered directly from Boeing for the Saudi startup carrier. The jet arrived in Riyadh on June 5, with commercial operations beginning just five days later.
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The aircraft features the cabin products and passenger experience developed by Riyadh Air for its future long-haul fleet, including new premium seating, in-flight entertainment systems and onboard connectivity.
The airline had already been operating daily flights to London since October 2025 as part of its operational readiness program, but those services were previously conducted using leased aircraft while Riyadh Air awaited delivery of its own fleet.
According to CEO Tony Douglas, the introduction of the airline’s first Boeing 787-9 came ahead of the original schedule, which had called for the aircraft to enter service on July 1.
Riyadh Air received its first two Dreamliners on June 5 and a third aircraft two days later. The airline plans to use the type as the backbone of its initial long-haul network while pursuing its goal of serving more than 100 destinations by the end of the decade.
Second destination
The carrier also recently confirmed the launch of a second destination in the United Kingdom. Flights between Riyadh and Manchester will begin on July 23, initially operating three times per week with Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The route will complement the existing Heathrow service.
The carrier said passengers traveling from Manchester will be able to connect through Riyadh to destinations including Jeddah, Cairo and Dubai, with additional routes expected to be announced in the coming months.
The airline has also ordered Airbus A321neo family aircraft and Airbus A350-1000s that will be delivered in the following years.
