MUMBAI- Riyadh Air (RX) has officially entered the Indian market by launching daily nonstop flights between Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport (RUH) and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM). The inaugural service departed on August 4, marking the airline’s first scheduled route to India.
The new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner service strengthens connectivity between Saudi Arabia and India while providing passengers with convenient onward connections across Europe and the Middle East through Riyadh (RUH). The route also expands the airline’s growing cargo network using the aircraft’s belly-hold capacity.
Riyadh Air Starts Mumbai Flights
Riyadh Air officially confirmed the inaugural Mumbai flight through its social media channels, announcing that its first scheduled services to India’s financial capital had taken off successfully. The airline is operating daily flights, giving travelers a consistent schedule throughout the week.
Here’s the flight schedule:
- Flight RX697 departs Riyadh (RUH) at 2:05 PM and arrives in Mumbai (BOM) at 8:35 PM local time.
- The return service, RX698, leaves Mumbai at 10:05 PM and lands back in Riyadh at 11:50 PM local time.
The approximately four-hour flight schedule has been designed to support multiple passenger segments, including business travelers, tourists, and passengers visiting friends and relatives. Evening departures from Mumbai also allow passengers to connect efficiently with Riyadh Air’s expanding international network.
The airline began ticket sales on July 6, nearly a month before the inaugural flight, offering Economy, Business, and Business Elite cabins aboard its Boeing 787-9 fleet, Arabian Business flagged.
Boeing 787-9 Supports Passenger and Cargo Operations
Riyadh Air has assigned its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet to serve the Mumbai route. The widebody aircraft offers three cabin classes while also providing substantial belly-hold cargo capacity.
The aircraft type enables Riyadh Air to serve both passenger and freight demand between Saudi Arabia and India. Stable daily operations are expected to benefit freight forwarders transporting pharmaceuticals, electronics, e-commerce shipments, express cargo, and other time-sensitive goods between the two countries.
As of July 20, Riyadh Air had accepted delivery of six Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The growing fleet continues to support the airline’s international expansion strategy.
The airline has not yet released passenger load factors or cargo volumes for the Mumbai service. Operational performance during the initial months will help determine future demand, connection flows, and seasonal travel trends.
Mumbai Expands Riyadh Air’s International Presence
Mumbai becomes another important addition to Riyadh Air’s rapidly expanding network after several route launches during June and July 2026.
The carrier began scheduled Boeing 787-9 services to London in June before adding Jeddah on June 14, Dubai on June 18, Cairo on June 25, Madrid on July 17, and Kuala Lumpur on July 31.
India represents one of the world’s largest aviation markets and provides Riyadh Air with access to significant business travel, leisure tourism, and visiting friends and relatives traffic. Mumbai also serves as a strong source of connecting passengers for flights beyond Riyadh into Europe, the Middle East, and other international destinations.
The airline continues to develop Riyadh as its primary transfer hub, with each new destination feeding passengers into its expanding global network while improving aircraft utilization.
Beyond Mumbai, Riyadh Air has also announced upcoming services to Islamabad, Lahore, and Manila, further expanding its footprint across South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Fleet Orders Support Long-Term Expansion
During the Farnborough International Airshow, Riyadh Air significantly expanded its future fleet plans to support its ambitious network growth.
The airline committed to 28 additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners, including plans to convert 20 aircraft into the larger Boeing 787-10 variant. It also placed firm orders for six more Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, increasing its confirmed A350-1000 orderbook to 31 aircraft.
Riyadh Air aims to serve more than 100 destinations by 2030, with management expecting the network to reach approximately 22 cities by March 2027 as additional aircraft enter service.
The airline, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), continues investing heavily in fleet growth, international expansion, and the development of Riyadh as a major global aviation hub aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy.
Cargo Strategy Remains Central to Expansion
Cargo continues to play a major role in Riyadh Air’s commercial strategy. The Mumbai launch strengthens the airline’s ability to transport freight using the belly-hold capacity of its Boeing 787 fleet while supporting Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become a leading logistics hub, STAT Times flagged.
Earlier this year, Riyadh Cargo appointed General Sales and Service Agent (GSSA) partners across India, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates to strengthen its international cargo business.
The cargo division also recently signed an interline agreement with Saudia Cargo to improve cargo connectivity, expand network coverage, and provide freight forwarders with more routing options through Saudi Arabia.
These partnerships, combined with Riyadh Air’s expanding passenger network, are expected to improve international cargo flows while supporting global trade between Saudi Arabia and key overseas markets.
The launch of daily Mumbai flights marks another milestone in Riyadh Air’s international expansion, reinforcing its focus on growing both passenger connectivity and cargo capacity as it continues building a global network centered on Riyadh.
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