Riyadh Air is considering an order for as many as 30 additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners as the Saudi start-up carrier looks to expand well beyond its small launch fleet. According to industry sources cited by Reuters, the airline is studying a commitment covering between 25 and 30 aircraft, with an announcement possible as early as the Farnborough International Airshow, which begins on July 20, 2026. The sources cautioned that discussions were still continuing, and neither Riyadh Air nor Boeing commented on the report.
Crucially, the potential deal would not be an entirely new order. It would involve converting most of Riyadh Air's existing purchase options into firm aircraft β a lower-profile but strategically significant move that locks in delivery slots on a Dreamliner production line already stretched by global demand.
From 39 firm jets to nearly 70
Riyadh Air agreed in 2023 to buy 39 Boeing 787-9s, with options for another 33 aircraft. Exercising 25 to 30 of those options would lift its firm Dreamliner commitment to between 64 and 69 aircraft, while leaving as many as eight options unconverted. For an airline that only started flying this year, that would represent one of the fastest wide-body ramp-ups in recent memory.
The carrier began revenue service in June 2026, launching its first flight to London Heathrow with a Boeing 787-9. Chief Executive Tony Douglas said at the time that deliveries would grow the fleet to eight aircraft by the end of July and allow Riyadh Air to serve 22 destinations by March 2027.
A fleet built on two manufacturers
The Dreamliner is only part of the story. Riyadh Air ordered 60 Airbus A321neo-family aircraft in 2024 and signed a firm agreement for 25 Airbus A350-1000s at the Paris Air Show in June 2025, with options for another 25. Reuters reported that the airline is also weighing whether to convert some of those Airbus purchase rights into firm orders.
Taken together, the carrier currently lists a planned fleet of as many as 182 aircraft, counting firm orders and purchase options across the Boeing 787-9, Airbus A350-1000 and A321neo. That structure β narrow-bodies for regional feed, 787s for the long-haul backbone and A350-1000s for the heaviest trunk routes β is a familiar template among Gulf carriers, and it gives Riyadh Air flexibility to accelerate or slow growth as demand dictates.
Why the 787-9 is the workhorse
Riyadh Air has configured its 787-9s with 290 seats across business, premium economy and economy. The type will form the backbone of its initial long-haul operation, while the larger A350-1000 adds capacity as the network expands. Converting options rather than placing a fresh order is also the fastest route to earlier delivery positions, which matters when Boeing's wide-body backlog stretches years into the future.
Riyadh Air is owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and was established in 2023 as the kingdom's second national airline alongside Saudia. It plans to serve more than 100 destinations by 2030 as Saudi Arabia invests heavily in aviation and tourism. A Dreamliner order in the 25 to 30 aircraft range, if confirmed at Farnborough, would be a clear signal that those targets are being backed with metal rather than ambition alone.
Sources: AeroTime, Reuters. Featured image: AI-generated by AviationShop. By Elena Vargas.
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