The deal includes 25 firm orders with purchase rights for an additional 25 aircraft
At the opening day of the 55th Paris Air Show on Monday, Riyadh Air, the new national airline of Saudi Arabia, announced an order for up to 50 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft.
In a press statement, the carrier says that the deal, signed at Paris Le Bourget, includes 25 firm orders with purchase rights for an additional 25 aircraft.
The statement adds that the deal was agreed by Adam Boukadida, Chief Financial Officer, Riyadh Air and Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales of Commercial Aircraft Business, Airbus in the presence of Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Chairman, Riyadh Air and PIF Governor, Tony Douglas, CEO, Riyadh Air, and Christian Scherer, CEO, Airbus Commercial Aircraft.
Yasir Al-Rumayyan
“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,” says Al-Rumayyan.
Riyadh Air says that the A350-1000, renowned for its operational range exceeding 16,000 km, will enable Riyadh Air to connect Riyadh, a G20 capital, with major cities across every continent.
Tony Douglas
“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. Already in 2025, we have received our Air Operating Certificate 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 USD 20 billion to the kingdom’s non-oil GDP,” says Douglas.
Additionally, the airline has set an ambitious goal to serve over 100 destinations globally by 2030, leveraging this new fleet to ensure robust connectivity ahead of major international events such as Riyadh Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034.
Christian Scherer
“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,” says Scherer.
According to the statement, with this order, Riyadh Air is now positioned to operate a three-type fleet, with up to 182 aircraft on order, including Boeing 787-9s and Airbus A321neos. The airline plans to commence operations later in 2025, offering a stylish and exclusive First-Class cabin on the A350-1000, complementing its recently unveiled Business Class and advanced cabin interiors.
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