Riyadh Air bets big on India with Mumbai launch

Riyadh Air is making a significant entry into one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets with the launch of daily non-stop flights between Riyadh and Mumbai from August 4, 2026. The move marks the airline's first destination in India and reflects both the growing strategic importance of the India-Saudi Arabia aviation corridor and Riyadh Air's ambition to establish itself as a premium global carrier.

Backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Riyadh Air is positioning itself as a key pillar of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 strategy, aiming to transform Riyadh into a major international aviation hub capable of competing with established Gulf carriers.

The Mumbai service becomes the airline's ninth international destination and is expected to cater not only to point-to-point travellers but also to passengers seeking seamless onward connections to Europe and the Middle East through Riyadh.

India emerges as a strategic market

India has rapidly evolved into one of the world's most attractive aviation markets, driven by rising disposable incomes, expanding international travel demand and deep economic ties with the Gulf region. While air traffic between India and Saudi Arabia has traditionally been dominated by migrant workers, religious pilgrims and visiting friends and relatives (VFR) traffic, airlines are increasingly targeting premium leisure and business travellers as well.

Riyadh Air's decision to begin operations in Mumbai reflects this shift.

Announcing the launch, Tony Douglas, Chief Executive Officer of Riyadh Air, said: "With India emerging as one of the fastest-growing aviation markets globally, we are delighted to offer travellers a new premium choice and enhanced global connectivity from Mumbai to Riyadh, and onwards to Europe." He further added: "The route has been carefully selected to align with our ambition to become a global airline and a significant contributor to Vision 2030."

The airline believes Mumbai's strong corporate base, large expatriate population and growing international travel demand make it an ideal gateway into the Indian market.

Daily B787 Dreamliner operations

The Mumbai-Riyadh route will be operated daily using Riyadh Air's new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. The flight schedule has been designed to maximise onward connectivity through Riyadh.

Flight RX0698

• Departs Mumbai: 22:05
• Arrives Riyadh: 23:50

Flight RX0697

• Departs Riyadh: 14:05
• Arrives Mumbai: 20:35

Passengers travelling from Mumbai will gain convenient access via Riyadh to several destinations already served by the airline, including London, Dubai, Cairo, Madrid, Jeddah and Manchester.

Riyadh Air launched services to London on June 10, followed by Dubai and Cairo. Flights to Madrid and Manchester are also scheduled to commence later this month as the carrier rapidly expands its international footprint.

Premium Cabin Experience Across Four Classes

Unlike many airlines operating predominantly labour-focused Gulf routes, Riyadh Air is positioning itself as a premium carrier offering a differentiated onboard experience. Its Boeing 787-9 fleet features four cabin classes, namely Business Elite, Business, Premium Economy and Economy. Business Elite and Business cabins will feature fully flat beds arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, providing direct aisle access for every passenger.

Premium Economy will be configured in a 2-3-2 layout, while Economy Class will feature a standard 3-3-3 seating arrangement. Across all cabins, passengers will have access to Panasonic Avionics' Astrova inflight entertainment system, Bluetooth audio connectivity, USB charging facilities and a wide selection of movies, television programmes and music

The airline hopes these products enhancements will help it attract higher-yield passengers in addition to traditional traffic segments.

Strengthening Riyadh as a global hub

The Mumbai service is expected to play an important role in Riyadh Air's broader hub strategy. Rather than focusing solely on direct India-Saudi Arabia demand, the airline intends to channel passengers through Riyadh to Europe and other destinations across the Middle East, positioning the Saudi capital as an emerging global transit hub.

This strategy mirrors the successful hub-and-spoke models developed by Gulf carriers over the past two decades, although Riyadh Air enters the market at a time when Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in aviation infrastructure, tourism and international connectivity under Vision 2030.

While Riyadh Air is a new entrant, it joins one of the busiest international aviation corridors for Indian travellers. Currently, around 30 daily two-way flights operate between India and Riyadh. Jeddah remains the largest Saudi gateway for Indian passengers, with approximately 42 daily flights connecting the two countries.

The India-Saudi Arabia market is presently led by IndiGo, followed by Air India Express and Saudia.

According to tourism ministry data, approximately 3.4 million Indians travelled to Saudi Arabia during calendar year 2025, underlining the sustained demand generated by business travel, tourism, religious pilgrimages and the Indian expatriate community.

Against this backdrop, Riyadh Air will seek to differentiate itself through its premium onboard product, newer aircraft and extensive international connectivity rather than competing solely on fares.

Loyalty programme

Alongside the launch of ticket sales, Riyadh Air has opened enrolment for its Sfeer loyalty programme. The programme offers members several benefits, including complimentary onboard Wi-Fi, points that do not expire and family and friends’ points sharing

Passengers joining during the airline's launch phase under "The Founders" programme will also receive priority access to bookings on future route launches, providing an incentive for early customer engagement as the carrier continues expanding its network.

Ticket sales opened on July 6 through the airline's official website, mobile application and authorised travel agents.

Riyadh Air's Mumbai launch represents more than the addition of another international service. It signals Saudi Arabia's growing ambitions to become a major global aviation player while capitalising on the rapidly expanding Indian outbound travel market.

As India's international passenger numbers continue to rise and Saudi Arabia accelerates investments under Vision 2030, competition on the India-Gulf corridor is expected to intensify. For travellers, this translates into greater choice, enhanced premium offerings and improved global connectivity. For Riyadh Air, however, the Mumbai service represents an important first step in establishing a long-term presence in one of the world's most strategically significant aviation markets.