Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air places order for 60 Airbus A321neo

Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air said on Wednesday that it had placed an order for 60 Airbus narrowbody A321neo jets as the kingdom’s startup carrier readies to launch commercial operations next year.

The deal, signed at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) forum in Riyadh, brings to 132 the total number of jets ordered by Riyadh Air, which last year ordered 39 Boeing 787 Dreamliners with options for 33 more.

The carrier said the “multibillion-dollar” order positions it for efficient flight operations, with an optimal fleet mix to fulfil its network ambitions of 100 destinations by 2030.

“This order will not only enable us to support economic growth in the aviation industry, it will also ensure Riyadh Air operates one of the most sustainable fleets in the industry and be instrumental in helping Saudi Arabia achieve its net-zero emissions goals,” said Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air.

Douglas emphasised that the deal would reinforce the positive economic impact of Saudi Arabia’s newest airline on both a global and local scale. He told Reuters that the airline plans to start talks with Airbus and Boeing within two months to order A350-1000 or 777X wide-body jets.

Today, we signed an order for 60 @Airbus A321neo aircraft at #FII8, marking a significant milestone on our journey to our maiden flight in 2025. #RiyadhAir

— Riyadh Air (@RiyadhAir) October 30, 2024

Riyadh Air would receive its first A321 in the second half of 2026, with the last jet to be delivered in 2030, Douglas added. The airline would later decide how many A321 and larger A321 LR and A321 XLRs would be included in the order.

Meanwhile, the Airbus A321neo order comes as Riyadh Air is building its network through a series of bilateral partnerships and code shares rather than relying purely on its planes or joining a formal airline alliance.

Earlier in July, it partnered with Delta Air Lines to introduce a broad range of services for customers and expand its potential global network ahead of its launch in the second half of 2025. Saudi Arabia’s startup carrier has already built accords with Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Air China.

The Public Investment Fund-owned carrier is working on agreements with a carrier in northwestern Europe and another in the Indian subcontinent.

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