Riyadh Air to launch passenger flights by 2025 end, aims to rival Emirates, Qatar Airways

Riyadh Air is all set to begin commercial passenger flights by the end of 2025, CEO Tony Douglas said, as he shared details on the airline’s ambition to surpass regional giants by combining scale with innovation.

The airline, introduced in 2023 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, willconnect Saudi Arabia’s capital to 100 cities by the end of the decade as a key part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. It aims to position Riyadh as a global hub, complementing Jeddah-based as part of a dual-flag carrier strategy, Douglas told Al Arabiya News in an exclusive interview on GNT presented by Tom Burges Watson.

“This is one of those really important moments in the evolution of aviation within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Douglas said, adding that Riyadh Air aims to become a world class airline.

“In short, the Kingdom’s Emirates, the Kingdom’s Qatar Airways, but bigger and better,” he said.

Fleet and expansion

Riyadh Air’s initial fleet includes 72 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 60 Airbus A320neo and a third wide-body aircraft is to be announced by summer 2025. The aircraft production is underway, the CEO said, increasing confidence in on-time delivery.

Douglas on Monday said that Riyadh Air would be ready to purchase Boeing aircraft initially scheduled to be delivered to Chinese airlines if China declines to receive them as part of a standoff with the United States due to rising trade tensions over tariffs.

Meanwhile, he also shared that the airline has secured its Air Operator Certificate (AOC), which authorizes commercial air transport operations. Riyadh Air recently unveiled its uniforms, crew, liveries and cabin interiors.

With over 1.4 million job applications from 146 nationalities, including pilots, engineers and crew, the air carrier is actively recruiting. It has also launched a Saudi female aviation technician program and plans for a local pilot training academy.

Central to FIFA World Cup 2034

Riyadh Air is set to play a central role in Saudi Arabia hosting the FIFA World Cup 2034 and Expo 2030, the CEO said.

“(Riyadh) is already a hub for global entertainment, attractions, culture, and heritage across the whole of the kingdom. We will, of course, see the FIFA World Cup in 2034 in Riyadh… it needs a super-connecting, world-class, full-service airline.”

A digital airline

Riyadh Air will be a digital airline with no legacy systems, and artificial intelligence set to drive a personalized travel experience like digital concierge offering tailored recommendations and seamless booking and refund process.

“The gift we have above all else is no legacy… we have been able to design the airline for the future — a digital airline for the future,” Douglas said.

“What we are going to use AI for is exactly that — to act like a concierge, curating the optionality, the proposition of an experience.”

Onboard experience

The airline will offer four cabin classes – first, business elite, premium economy and economy.

The aircraft’s seats will include a headrest sound system that will allow passengers to listen to any audio without headphones such that the person seating next will not be able to hear the sound.

The business elite and business seats will have privacy doors and suits with a canopy design over the top “symbolic of the Bedouin tent,” when it is pegged at either side, Douglas explained. The privacy suits will also have high definition 4K OLED screens.