Paris Airshow: Riyadh Air orders up to 50 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft

The agreement includes 25 firm orders with purchase rights for an additional 25 aircraft. 

The A350-1000 aircraft has an operational range of more than 16,000 kms, allowing Riyadh Air’s network to reach the farthest corners of the globe and bringing major cities within reach. The airline expects to serve over 100 destinations around the globe by 2030, ensuring Riyadh, a G20 capital city, develops strong connectivity to the world in advance of major events such as Riyadh Expo 2030 and FIFA World Cup 2034TM.

Riyadh Air has chosen the Airbus A350-1000 to further optimise its fleet, capacity and operations, while minimising the number of aircraft types in the fleet. With this new order of up to 50 planes, the start-up airline now has up to 182 aircraft on order and will operate a three-type fleet with flights set to commence later in 2025. With a large seat capacity, the airline intends to offer guests a stylish and exclusive First-Class cabin on the Airbus A350 aircraft to complement its recently revealed Business Class and cabin interior, raising the bar to deliver an exceptional and innovative guest experience.

His Excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan, PIF Governor and Chairman of Riyadh Air said: “Our new national carrier is set to take to the skies in the near future, and as a fundamental element of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure, will connect our capital city to over 100 international destinations around the globe by 2030. With its outstanding range, adding the Airbus A350-1000 to our fleet demonstrates the strategic contribution of Riyadh Air in positioning Saudi Arabia as a global aviation hub.”

“Riyadh Air is making significant progress as we move towards our first flight later this year and agreeing this deal for up to 50 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft is an important statement of intent,” said Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas. “Already in 2025, we have received our AOC and unveiled our new cabin interiors and having now completed our initial three aircraft orders, we are in a position to fulfil our ambitious network goals. We play an important role in the evolution of the Saudi aviation ecosystem with the aim to create 200,000 direct and indirect jobs and contribute almost $20 billion to the Kingdom’s non-oil GDP.”

“We are honoured to support Riyadh Air’s bold vision with the A350-1000, the world’s most modern and efficient widebody aircraft. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to innovation and decarbonisation whilst connecting the vibrant Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the world! Riyadh Air’s selection of the A350-1000 underscores the aircraft’s unmatched capability to deliver premium passenger experience and operational excellence—perfectly aligned with the ambitions of Vision 2030.”, commented Christian Scherer, chief executive officer commercial aircraft at Airbus.