Riyadh Air takes off: Direct flights to London Heathrow is expected this October
London, here we come
Travelling to London? We’ve got good news for you. Riyadh Air could touch down at Heathrow Airport as soon as Sunday October 26 this year.
Just last month, Saudi Arabia’s new flag carrier announced that it would commence flights before the end of 2025, and now we have a significant clue about its initial network.
Airport Coordination Limited, the slot coordinator of choice for over 78 airports worldwide, has released a document that reveals Riyadh Air having secured a daily morning slot at London Heathrow.
The route will be served by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which can seat 288 passengers in business and economy class configurations, between King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh and London Heathrow (LHR). The daily service gives the carrier a prime arrival into Heathrow at 7.30am, with a return two hours later.
At the moment, no official announcement has been made by Riyadh Air. Moreover, we do not know if this will be the first Riyadh Air commercial service or if flights to another destination may come first.
Riyadh Air has not operated any scheduled commercial flights, despite having completed several non-commercial certification flights, including a debut round-flight between Riyadh and Jeddah in 2024. But the opening of the London line is likely to be one of its first major operations.
Currently, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways offer daily direct flights between Riyadh and London, as well as Saudia, which operates up to 22 weekly flights between the Saudi capital and Heathrow.
Launched in 2024, Riyadh Air has signalled its intention to become a worldwide player in the aviation sector. The carrier aims to serve more than 100 destinations by 2030 and is focused on opening up new global connections for business and leisure travel.
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