Riyadh Air begins Jeddah service with inaugural domestic flight

RIYADH: King Abdulaziz International Airport on June 14 welcomed the first domestic flight of Riyadh Air, the new national carrier of Saudi Arabia. 

The launch is part of the airline’s domestic network expansion, initially offering two daily flights between Riyadh and Jeddah. This initiative aims to support domestic air traffic and improve connectivity between key destinations within the Kingdom. 

The inaugural flight, arriving from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, carried Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah; President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation Abdulaziz Al-Duailej; Raed Ismail, a member of the Riyadh Airlines’ board of directors; and several other aviation sector leaders. 

They were received by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Jeddah Airports Co., Raed Al-Mudaiheem; the CEO of Jeddah Airports Co., Mazen Johar; and a number of government and security officials at the airport. 

The launch marks a pivotal step in expanding the airline’s network of destinations from the capital, Riyadh. The inaugural flight departed from King Khalid International Airport at 9:00 a.m. and landed at King Abdulaziz International Airport at 10:50 a.m. 

Riyadh Air began operating two daily flights to Jeddah on June 14, with frequencies set to increase to three daily flights from June 18 and four daily flights from July 2. 

Riyadh Air’s launch on the route comes amid strong demand growth. According to data from OAG, a leading aviation research and analytics firm, the Riyadh-Jeddah route was projected to be the fifth-busiest domestic route globally in 2025, with 9.8 million seats. 

By operating services on this route, Riyadh Air supports relevant national strategies and provides seating capacity that will boost the growth of the tourism, business and economic sectors in the Kingdom. 

Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas affirmed that launching flights to Jeddah represents a significant milestone in the company’s journey toward building a broad network connecting the Kingdom to the world. He noted that the route serves a large segment of business and leisure travelers and supports the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in developing the aviation sector and enhancing air connectivity. 

Jeddah Airports Co. CEO Johar explained that Riyadh Air’s joining the Jeddah-Riyadh route reflects closer integration across Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector and contributes to expanding travel options and improving the quality of services provided to passengers. He pointed out that King Abdulaziz International Airport served more than 14.8 million passengers on approximately 84,000 flights during the first quarter of 2026, reflecting the continued growth in the airport's operational traffic. 

The launch of these new flights strengthens Riyadh Air’s efforts to reach more than 100 destinations worldwide, while the Riyadh-Jeddah route contributes to supporting business, tourism, Hajj and Umrah travel, in addition to reinforcing Riyadh’s position as a major international air hub.