Riyadh Air Eyes Long-Haul Fleet Expansion: Weighing Orders for up to 30 Additional Boeing 787s and New Commitments with Airbus
Saudi Arabia’s startup carrier, Riyadh Air, is actively studying the acquisition of an additional 25 to 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliner family aircraft. According to industry sources, this transaction would be finalized by exercising the majority of the contractual purchase options the airline currently holds with the American airframer.
This initiative comes just a month after the carrier successfully launched its inaugural commercial flight. The structuring of this new agreement represents the continuation of the fleet master plan initiated in 2023, when the Saudi firm placed an initial order for up to 72 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, structured as follows:
- 39 firm orders already confirmed and scheduled in the manufacturer’s backlog.
- 33 contractual purchase options, the majority of which are currently being evaluated for immediate conversion into firm commitments.
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Farnborough Airshow in Sight for Official Announcement
Aviation sector sources suggest that the official announcement regarding the conversion of these options into firm orders could materialize as early as the upcoming edition of the Farnborough International Airshow. However, the same sources caution that negotiations and specific commercial terms remain under active discussion between the involved parties.
In addition to its close relationship with Boeing, Riyadh Air maintains a significant firm order with the European consortium Airbus covering 25 Airbus A350-1000 widebody aircraft, complemented by an additional 25 purchase options. Industry analysts indicate that a portion of these Airbus options could also be converted into firm orders in the near future.
The dual-source supplier strategy utilizing the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350-1000 models positions the airline as a heavy-hitting player in the long-haul market.
The resolution of these negotiations will define the definitive structure of the company’s long-haul fleet for the next decade. Should the option conversions be firmed up during the upcoming Farnborough event, the industry will witness one of the most significant financial and capacity endorsements in recent years, boosting the global air connectivity strategy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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