Riyadh Air
Riyadh Air is Saudi Arabia's PIF-owned national carrier, launched commercially in October 2025 as the world's first AI-native airline, operating a premium long-haul Boeing 787-9 fleet from Riyadh to London, Dubai, Cairo, Jeddah, Manchester, and Madrid with 100+ destinations targeted by 2030.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersRiyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Riyadh Air does
Riyadh Air (legal name Aviation Services Company) is a PIF-owned national carrier headquartered at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, founded in March 2023 and incorporated to deliver against Saudi Vision 2030's aviation and tourism diversification targets. The airline commenced commercial passenger operations on October 26, 2025 with a Riyadh-London Heathrow Boeing 787-9 service and has subsequently expanded to Dubai, Cairo, Jeddah, Manchester, and Madrid, with US routes approved by the DOT in June 2026 and a publicly stated goal of serving 100+ destinations by 2030. It operates a premium long-haul product across Business, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins, supplemented by a wholly-owned Riyadh Cargo subsidiary (launched January 2026), the Sfeer loyalty program (with Hilton, Uber, and Mastercard partners), and the Hafawa premium lounge.
The airline is architected from a clean sheet on an AI-native technology stack built on IBM watsonx Orchestrate across 59 workstreams with 60+ technology partners (Adobe, Apple, FLYR, Microsoft, Sabre), avoiding legacy PSS/CRS systems. Core technology assets include NDC-based Modern Air Retailing via direct API and aggregators (Verteil, AirRetailer, TPConnects, TravelFusion, NuFlights), SabreMosaic Continuous Revenue Optimizer for dynamic pricing, and a proprietary B2B Agency Hub. The fleet plan comprises 39 firm Boeing 787-9s (plus 33 follow-on), 25 firm Airbus A350-1000s (plus 25 rights), and 60 Airbus A321neos, although only three 787-9s were in service as of June 2026.
Revenue is generated primarily through passenger ticket sales (unit-priced by cabin), ancillary services (seats, baggage, Wi-Fi), air cargo via Riyadh Cargo, and partner-driven loyalty monetization. Distribution combines direct digital (website/app), corporate/B2B sales, OTA partnerships (Almatar), and 10+ codeshare/interline agreements (Delta, Singapore Airlines, Air China, China Eastern, Saudia, EgyptAir, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Air France-KLM, Air India). Capital is sourced from PIF equity and a SAR 5.0 billion (~$1.33B) Islamic Revolving Credit Facility arranged in October 2024, with no external private equity or venture capital involvement.
Riyadh Air firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Riyadh Air
- Legal name
- Aviation Services Company
- Website
- https://riyadhair.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Riyadh Air is Saudi Arabia's PIF-owned national carrier, launched commercially in October 2025 as the world's first AI-native airline, operating a premium long-haul Boeing 787-9 fleet from Riyadh to London, Dubai, Cairo, Jeddah, Manchester, and Madrid with 100+ destinations targeted by 2030.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Riyadh Air industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Air Transportation Services
- NAICS
- Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation (481111)
- SIC
- Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Long-Haul Full-Service Airlines (Widebody Operators) (THABAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Full-Service Airlines (Passenger + Belly Cargo Integrated) (THABAAAF)
Keywords
Where Riyadh Air is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Riyadh
- HQ country
- Saudi Arabia
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices1 record
Markets served
Riyadh Air business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Passenger Air Travel: Core revenue from passenger ticket sales across business, premium economy, and economy cabin classes on routes to London, Dubai, Cairo, Jeddah, Manchester, Madrid, and planned expansion to 100+ destinations by 2030.
- Cargo Operations (Riyadh Cargo): Air cargo services transporting goods in lower hold of passenger aircraft, including textiles, flowers, tea, coffee, and seafood. Launched in 2025 with partnerships for ground handling at major hubs.
- Ancillary Services: Revenue from seat selection, extra baggage, special meals, Wi-Fi, and other add-on services. Sfeer loyalty points can be redeemed across flights and partner rewards.
- Loyalty Program Partnerships: Sfeer loyalty program generates revenue through partnerships with Hilton, Uber, muvi Cinemas, and other lifestyle partners. Co-branded card arrangements with Mastercard contribute to loyalty ecosystem monetization.
- Codeshare and Interline Revenue: Revenue from codeshare arrangements with partner airlines including Delta, Singapore Airlines, Air China, and others, enabling passengers to travel across combined networks.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Business Class - Premium long-haul travel with privacy doors, plush seating, and immersive audio |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Economy - Enhanced comfort with added space and refined finishes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Economy - Comfort, connection, and calm with modern entertainment |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Riyadh Air product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Riyadh Air is a Saudi Arabian national carrier operating scheduled passenger flights on long-haul and regional routes from Riyadh using Boeing 787-9 aircraft across Business, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins. Beyond passenger service, it operates Riyadh Cargo (belly-cargo transport), the Sfeer loyalty program, and the Hafawa premium lounge as integrated commercial offerings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sfeer: Loyalty program offering Sfeer Points that never expire, partnership privileges, and Founding Member benefits
- Riyadh Cargo
- Hafawa Lounge
Products and services
- Riyadh Air Passenger Flights Scheduled passenger air travel across Business, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins on routes including London, Dubai, Cairo, Jeddah, Madrid, Manchester, and Riyadh, targeting premium long-haul and regional travelers.
- Riyadh Cargo Dedicated air cargo service transporting goods such as textiles, flowers, tea, coffee, and seafood in the lower hold of Riyadh Air passenger aircraft, distributed through ground handling agents and general sales agents across RUH, DXB, LHR, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
- Sfeer Loyalty Program Loyalty program offering Sfeer Points that never expire, partnership privileges with Hilton, Uber, muvi Cinemas, and Mastercard co-branded cards, plus Founding Member recognition and Sfeer Priority Assist benefits for frequent flyers.
- Hafawa Lounge Premium airport lounge at King Khalid International Airport featuring Saudi desert-inspired design, offering luxury hospitality to premium cabin and qualifying Sfeer loyalty members.
Quantifiable outcome
- SabreMosaic CRO dynamic pricing solution can increase airline revenue by up to 3.5%
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Riyadh Air
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Riyadh Air technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
AI capability9 records
Feature6 records
Riyadh Air partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Riyadh Air competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Emirates: Dubai-based full-service carrier operating a long-haul widebody fleet with an integrated belly cargo business (Emirates SkyCargo), explicitly cited by Riyadh Air as a direct competitor for premium long-haul travelers between the Gulf and Europe/Asia.
- Qatar Airways: Doha-based flag carrier with a premium long-haul widebody fleet and significant belly cargo (Qatar Airways Cargo). Competes head-to-head with Riyadh Air for premium Gulf-origin traffic to Europe, Asia, and North America.
- Etihad Airways: Abu Dhabi-based full-service carrier with long-haul widebody operations and Etihad Cargo. Same Gulf premium long-haul competitive set as Riyadh Air and serves overlapping corporate and leisure demand.
- Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines): Saudi Arabia's existing flag carrier and current codeshare partner of Riyadh Air. Operates a similar full-service, widebody-heavy network with belly cargo and competes for the same Saudi-origin premium and religious traffic.
Broad incumbents
- Turkish Airlines: Istanbul-based global network carrier with the world's broadest route network and an integrated cargo business. Riyadh Air is a codeshare partner and competes for transit traffic between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
- Singapore Airlines: Asia-Pacific benchmark for premium full-service long-haul. Codeshare partner providing Riyadh Air reach into 30+ Asia-Pacific destinations; comparable in cabin product investment and digital retailing sophistication.
- Delta Air Lines: US legacy full-service carrier and codeshare partner (Atlanta-Riyadh from Oct 2026). Comparable in long-haul widebody operations, NDC-based modern retailing, and premium cabin strategy.
- Air France-KLM: European legacy group and codeshare partner of Riyadh Air. Operates comparable full-service widebody long-haul product and integrated cargo businesses (Air France Cargo, KLM Cargo).
- Air China: Chinese flag carrier and codeshare partner connecting Riyadh to ~100 Chinese cities. Comparable widebody long-haul operations and integrated cargo (Air China Cargo).
- Lufthansa: European full-service group with a large widebody long-haul fleet, integrated cargo (Lufthansa Cargo), and premium product benchmarks (First Class, Allegris). Useful comparator for unit economics and premium yield strategy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Riyadh Air social profiles
Digital presenceRiyadh Air financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Riyadh Air leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Riyadh Air subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Riyadh Air funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Riyadh Air M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Riyadh Air
What does Riyadh Air do?
Riyadh Air is a Saudi Arabian national carrier operating scheduled passenger flights on long-haul and regional routes from Riyadh using Boeing 787-9 aircraft across Business, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins. Beyond passenger service, it operates Riyadh Cargo (belly-cargo transport), the Sfeer loyalty program, and the Hafawa premium lounge as integrated commercial offerings.
Is Riyadh Air a public or private company?
Riyadh Air is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Riyadh Air founded?
Riyadh Air was founded in 2023. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Riyadh Air based?
Riyadh Air is headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the Middle East region.
How does Riyadh Air make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Passenger Air Travel is the primary driver. The others are cargo Operations (Riyadh Cargo), ancillary Services, loyalty Program Partnerships and codeshare and Interline Revenue.
Who are Riyadh Air's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines). Broad incumbents are Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM, Air China and Lufthansa.
Does Riyadh Air have an API?
Yes. Riyadh Air offers an NDC-based API for its Modern Air Retailing platform, supporting IATA Schema 21.3. The API enables travel sellers and aggregators to access real-time fares, personalized offers, and full order management including flights, baggage, seats, and ancillary services. Supported capabilities include offer creation, order creation, payment processing (BSP Cash, IATA EasyPay, Deferred Payment), order servicing, and cancellation. Access is available via direct API connection, approved aggregators (Verteil, AirRetailer, TPConnects, TravelFusion, NuFlights), or the Riyadh Air Agency Hub. Developer documentation is at riyadhair.com/en/mar-program.
What industry is Riyadh Air in?
Riyadh Air's product category is Air Transportation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABAAAH, Long-Haul Full-Service Airlines (Widebody Operators), with a secondary code of THABAAAF, Full-Service Airlines (Passenger + Belly Cargo Integrated). Its NAICS code is 481111 and its SIC code is 4512.