Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s latest airline, confirmed a new order of 60 A321neo narrowbody jets with Airbus at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) forum in Riyadh.

This brings the airline’s total orders to 132 aircraft, including a previous order of 39 Boeing 787 Dreamliners with options for 33 more.

Fuel Efficiency and Decarbonization Goals
“This investment will ensure Riyadh Air operates one of the most fuel-efficient fleets, supporting Saudi Arabia’s decarbonization goals,” said CEO Tony Douglas, emphasizing the airline’s commitment to economic growth in Saudi Arabia’s aviation ecosystem.

Plans for Future Widebody Orders
Riyadh Air is also considering a widebody fleet expansion and will begin talks with Airbus and Boeing in the next two months regarding the A350-1000 and 777X models.

Building a Global Aviation Hub
Riyadh Air aims to bolster Saudi Arabia’s tourism goals, contributing to the country’s objective of attracting 100 million visitors annually by 2030.

The airline, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, expects to start passenger flights by next summer, aspiring to position Saudi Arabia as a leading global aviation hub.

Christian Scherer, CEO of Commercial Aircraft at Airbus said: “We are proud to welcome Riyadh Air as a new Airbus customer and partner. The latest generation A321neo aircraft will bring exceptional efficiency to the airline’s operations, concrete contributions to its decarbonisation goals and comfort to its passengers. We look forward to working together to support the strong ambitions of Saudi aviation.”