Riyadh Air wins approval to fly to the United States

Riyadh Air has cleared a crucial hurdle in its push from startup to global carrier: the airline won approval to operate flights to and from the United States. The decision matters far beyond one route network. It gives Saudi Arabia’s newest aviation project access to the world’s most lucrative long-haul market and strengthens the kingdom’s bid to turn state capital into commercial influence.

The airline was created on March 12, 2023 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund. Riyadh Air has presented itself as part of Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to diversify the economy beyond oil and build strength in tourism, logistics and technology. That strategy is showing up in aviation, where Riyadh Air is trying to make Riyadh a more important connector between Asia, Africa, Europe and North America.

The timing is striking. Riyadh Air launched its first commercial London Heathrow flight in June 2026, and its first flight arrived on June 16 aboard a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Saudi state media said the carrier took delivery of its first three Boeing 787-9 aircraft in early June, and the airline said it had expanded ticket sales to six routes after adding five new destinations: Jeddah, Dubai, Cairo, Madrid and Manchester. The U.S. approval arrives as the carrier is still in the opening phase of operations, but already moving quickly to build a broader network.

Riyadh Air has told regulators it wants to serve more than 100 destinations by 2030. It also has partnerships with at least 10 foreign airlines, including Delta Air Lines, which signed a strategic cooperation memorandum of understanding with Riyadh Air on July 9, 2024. Delta said it would serve as Riyadh Air’s exclusive North American partner, and it has publicly scheduled nonstop service between Atlanta and Riyadh to begin on October 23, 2026. That pairing gives Riyadh Air a ready-made bridge into U.S. traffic and could help the Saudi carrier feed passengers into a wider web of international connections.

The business case remains ambitious. Riyadh Air expects its fleet to reach eight aircraft by the end of July and to serve 22 cities by March 2027, according to CEO Tony Douglas. The new U.S. authority gives that plan added weight, but it also raises the stakes: Riyadh Air must prove that Saudi Arabia can build a premium global airline at the same pace it has built the political and financial backing behind it.