Boeing and Riyadh Air release statements
Stephanie Pope, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, has celebrated the delivery of the two Dreamliners in a statement.
“Riyadh Air is bringing to life a vision of modern world-class travel, and we are delighted to support them as they open new possibilities for the Kingdom and the world,” Pope said. “The 787 Dreamliner gives Riyadh Air unmatched efficiency, flexibility across routes and a beautiful interior that will deliver a phenomenal travel experience.”
While Riyadh Air’s CEO Tony Douglas described the new arrivals as a “historic moment” and a “momentous day for Saudi aviation”.
Here’s his quote in full: “To see our very first custom-built 787 Dreamliner airplanes touch down in Riyadh is a historic moment for us, and a momentous day for Saudi aviation. I couldn’t be more excited or more confident about the future and the legacy we are creating. Not only are we building an airline, we are opening a new gateway to the world from the heart of the Kingdom. We are absolutely ready and excited to welcome the world to Riyadh.”
Riyadh Air’s first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners have been welcomed to their new home by the Saudi Hawks after arriving from Everett Paine Field (PAE) in the United States (US).
The two brand-new aircraft landed at Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH) on June 5, 2026, just four minutes apart, in a carefully coordinated arrival sequence to mark the milestone.
The Riyadh Air Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, registered HZ-RXAA and HZ-RXAB, left the US following a special handing-over ceremony at the Boeing factory in Charleston on June 3, 2026.
The event was attended by Yasser Al-Rumayyan, Governor of the Public Investment Fund and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Riyadh Air, as well as the airline’s CEO, Tony Douglas.
The two new jets had initially been scheduled to arrive in Saudi Arabia in 2025, but deliveries were pushed back due to delays at Boeing.
قبل قليل:
— Riyadh Air | طيران الرياض (@RiyadhAir) June 5, 2026
طائرات الصقور السعودية تستقبل أولى طائرات طيران الرياض حين دخولها أجواء الوطن 🇸🇦@saudihawks pic.twitter.com/ViDG4C1tuA
The 787-9 Dreamliners feature a four-class configuration, taking in Business Elite, Business, Premium Economy and Economy.
A video showing one of the new aircraft passing Riyadh Air’s main building was shared in a post on social media that described the moment as a “symbol of the start of the new era of travel from the capital Riyadh”.
On May 19, 2026, Riyadh Air opened bookings for flights between Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) starting on July 1, 2026.
Officially, Riyadh Air has flown daily to London-Heathrow since October 26, 2025, using the airline’s technical spare, a Boeing 787-9 called Jamila and registered HZ-RXX, leased from Oman Air.
However, tickets on the daily service have not been fully available to the public, with only airline staff and those working for Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) able to make bookings.
Riyadh Air was launched in March 2023, by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund and the country’s Crown Prince, Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.