Riyadh Air firms up order for 28 Boeing 787s, adds 787-10 at Farnborough 2026

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier, has exercised options for 28 additional Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets, a move that also brings the larger B787-10 variant into the airline’s future fleet for the first time.

Announced at the Farnborough International Airshow on July 20, 2026, the deal converts most of the remaining options from Riyadh Air’s original 2023 order with Boeing, with 20 of those aircraft set to be delivered as the B787-10 rather than the B787-9 the airline currently flies. 

The announcement also confirms a previously undisclosed order for 11 additional Dreamliners. Once the remaining 17 aircraft are finalized, Riyadh Air’s total firm order for the 787 family will climb to 67 jets.

We’re seeing more lavender skies for the 787 #Dreamliner with @RiyadhAir’s commitment for 28 airplanes at #FIA2026. #TeamBoeing is excited to support Riyadh Air’s fleet and continued global growth. We’re honored to be part of the airline’s vision.Release:… pic.twitter.com/T4Pigru8PM— Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) July 20, 2026 A key step toward 100 destinations by 2030

Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas described the expanded order as an important milestone in the airline’s plan to serve more than 100 international destinations by 2030, a goal tied to Saudi Arabia’s broader Vision 2030 economic strategy.

He pointed to the strong reception the airline has already received from passengers flying its current fleet of six Boeing 787s since launching full operations, and said the addition of the B787-10 gives Riyadh Air more room to handle growing passenger and cargo demand while keeping its network plans flexible.

Riyadh Air currently operates six B787-9 aircraft across six cities, and the new order signals a significant step up in both fleet size and route ambition over the next several years.

More seats, less fuel: the B787-10 advantage

By flying both the B787-9 and the larger B787-10 side by side, Riyadh Air stands to benefit from fleet commonality, since the two variants share flight deck systems, maintenance procedures, and pilot training requirements. 

Boeing said that overlap helps keep operations efficient while maintaining a consistent experience for passengers regardless of which aircraft they’re on.

The B787-10, the largest aircraft in the Dreamliner family, adds roughly 50 more seats than the B787-9, giving Riyadh Air extra capacity on its busiest routes. Boeing says the aircraft also uses 25% less fuel and produces 25% fewer emissions compared to the older aircraft it’s designed to replace.

Passengers flying either Dreamliner variant can expect some shared comfort features built into the aircraft family, including the largest windows of any commercial jet currently flying, higher cabin humidity, lower cabin altitude pressurization, and turbulence-sensing technology designed to smooth out rough air.

Stephanie Pope, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said Boeing was glad to see Riyadh Air’s 787s already flying commercial routes and welcomed the airline’s decision to expand its order further. 

She said the 787-10 is a natural complement to Riyadh Air’s growing fleet and supports the airline’s ambition to become a world-class carrier known for its passenger experience.

Supporting Saudi Arabia’s economic goals

The expanded fleet is meant to help Riyadh, a G20 capital, connect more directly to a global network of 100 destinations, a target central to Saudi Vision 2030’s push to diversify the kingdom’s economy away from oil.

As a company wholly owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Riyadh Air plays a direct role in that diversification effort. The airline expects its expansion to generate more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs, while contributing more than SAR 75 billion (US$20 billion) to non-oil GDP growth by 2030.

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