Riyadh Air prepares for the arrival of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner 

Saudi startup airline Riyadh Air has announced that it is preparing for the arrival of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.  

The leased aircraft, painted in the airline’s pearl livery, will be showcased at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport (RUH), the carrier announced on January 9, 2025. 

The new aircraft will be used as a technical spare and for training purposes in the upcoming months, the statement read. It will feature a “high-specification interior,” but will not include the latest airline’s cabin interiors. 

According to the airline, the aircraft is not part of the original order of 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners made in March 2023. This order included 39 confirmed aircraft, plus an option to acquire 33 more wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.  

The new aircraft will facilitate the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) process with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and will serve as Riyadh Air’s technical spare, ensuring readiness for operations starting later in 2025. 

In November 2024, the airline confirmed that it will be re-entering negotiations with the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers for further widebody aircraft. The move supports the airline’s goal to grow its fleet to over 200 aircraft in the next few years. 

The carrier is currently evaluating both the Boeing 777X and the Airbus A350-1000 wide-bodied twin-engine jets and aims to finalize a new deal involving either of these types in the first or second quarter of 2025. 

So far, Riyadh Air plans to start its commercial flights in 2025. Despite not having yet flown a single revenue service on its own, Riyadh Air is already garnering a great deal of interest and clout from across the commercial aviation world. 

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