Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's ambitious new flag carrier, has opened reservations for three more destinations as it steadily fills in a global network built around its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet. The additions span Europe, South Asia and Southeast Asia, reinforcing the airline's plan to turn the Saudi capital into a major connecting hub.
Three new dots on the map
Seasonal service between Riyadh and Malaga, on Spain's Costa del Sol, begins on 14 July 2026, operating three times a week through 8 September 2026. Year-round flights to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia launch on 30 July 2026, also three times weekly. And on 7 August 2026 the carrier adds Dhaka, Bangladesh β a market with strong demand for links to the Gulf and beyond.
All three routes will be flown by the Boeing 787-9, the widebody that forms the backbone of Riyadh Air's early operation and gives the airline the range to reach Europe and Asia nonstop from Riyadh.
Building toward 100-plus destinations
The latest additions fit a deliberate strategy. Riyadh Air has set a target of serving more than 100 destinations by 2030, a fourfold expansion of its current network within roughly four years, positioning Riyadh as a crossroads between Europe, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
The mix of markets is telling: a leisure-driven seasonal route to southern Spain, a year-round business-and-leisure link to Kuala Lumpur, and a high-demand South Asian gateway in Dhaka. Together they show a carrier trying to balance point-to-point demand with the connecting flows that underpin any hub ambition. With bookings now open, travellers get their first concrete look at how Riyadh Air intends to knit its network together over the coming months.
Sources: AeroTime, AeroRoutes. Featured image: AI-generated by AviationShop. By Daniel Okafor.
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