Riyadh Air orders 34 widebody jets at Farnborough

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's new national carrier, has secured a massive fleet expansion at the Farnborough International Airshow, ordering 34 new widebody aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus as it accelerates its ambitious plan to connect Riyadh to over 100 global destinations by 2030. The announcements on July 20 mark a significant acceleration for the startup airline, which only launched scheduled passenger services in June 2026.

The airline confirmed it is exercising options for 28 additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners from a 2023 order, a deal that includes converting 20 of those aircraft to the larger 787-10 variant. Once finalized, this will bring Riyadh Air's firm 787 order book to 67 jets. Separately, the carrier firmed up an order for six Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, increasing its total firm commitment for that model to 31 planes. The A350-1000 order is part of an original commitment for up to 50 of the type announced in 2025.

CEO Tony Douglas said the commitments represent a major milestone in the airline's growth trajectory, which is a key component of Saudi Arabia's broader Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy. The airline, wholly owned by the Public Investment...