Riyadh Air Accelerates South Asia Expansion — Mumbai, Dhaka, Islamabad Routes Launch This Week with Boeing 787-9s

Riyadh Air is making bold moves. The Saudi carrier is launching four new South Asian routes this week—daily 787-9 service to Mumbai, Dhaka, and Islamabad, plus three-times-weekly service to Lahore—as it barrels toward its goal of serving 22 cities by March 2027.

Starting August 4, the airline will fly daily 787-9s to Mumbai. Dhaka follows on August 7, Islamabad on August 14, and Lahore gets three-times-weekly service beginning August 18. Every flight routes through the carrier’s Riyadh hub at King Khalid International Airport. These launches mark the biggest expansion push since the airline began commercial operations in June 2026.

South Asia Is the Target

Riyadh Air is eyeing South Asia’s massive expatriate and labor markets—regions with long-standing ties to Saudi Arabia. The carrier included all four destinations in its summer 2026 slot request at Riyadh, securing 5,591 slot movements for 15 destinations across the northern summer season. These South Asia routes expand a network that started with just six cities at launch—London Heathrow, Jeddah, Dubai, Cairo, Malaga, and Madrid. By July, Kuala Lumpur (effective July 30) pushed that to nine destinations before this week’s additions.

Competition here is fierce. Saudia, Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier, already operates in every market Riyadh Air currently serves or has announced. Up to seven carriers fly the Riyadh-Lahore route alone, which analysts say is creating real pressure on ticket prices across the South Asia corridor.

Inside the 787-9

Riyadh Air’s 787-9 fleet seats 290 passengers spread across four cabins: four First Class suites, 24 Business Class seats, 39 Premium Economy, and 223 Economy seats. The airline received its first two 787-9s—registered HZ-RXAA and HZ-RXAB—on June 5, 2026, from Boeing’s Charleston and Everett facilities. Six aircraft have arrived so far, with more deliveries coming to support the aggressive schedule.

The Dreamliners come equipped with Panasonic Avionics’ Astrova in-flight entertainment system, which offers over 500 movies, 600 television series, and 1,000 audio albums and playlists sourced from Shahid, Disney+, HBO Max, and Warner Bros.

Big Fleet Bets at Farnborough

On July 20, 2026, Riyadh Air made major moves at the Farnborough International Airshow. The airline exercised Boeing 787 options, committing to 28 additional 787 Dreamliners and converting 20 airplanes to the larger 787-10 variant, plus purchasing 11 more jets. These actions push its firm 787 order book to 67 aircraft—up from the original 2023 commitment for up to 72 jets.

“The addition of the 787-10 strengthens our ability to accommodate growing passenger and cargo demand while providing the operational flexibility required to support our ambitious network plans,” said Tony Douglas, Chief Executive Officer of Riyadh Air, in a statement at Farnborough.

The carrier also firmed six additional Airbus A350-1000 orders at Farnborough, bringing its total A350-1000 commitment to 31 aircraft from the original Paris Air Show 2025 order of 25 airframes. Riyadh Air holds purchase rights for another 19 A350s. All told, the airline now has firm Airbus orders for 91 aircraft—60 A321neos and 31 A350-1000s.

Looking Ahead

Manila service launches September 9, 2026, on daily 787-9 flights. Riyadh Air has also secured approvals for Beijing, Shanghai, and U.S. operations, though launch dates remain unconfirmed. By March 2027, the airline targets 22 destinations. By 2030, it aims for more than 100 international cities as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 aviation strategy.

Sources

• Aviation Week — 50 New Routes Launching August 2026