Riyadh Air Places Firm Order for 25 New Airbus A350-1000s

Riyadh Air, the new premium international airline based in Saudi Arabia, has placed a firm order for 25 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft.  The agreement, which can potentially be increased to 50 aircraft, was signed at the Paris Air Show today.

Riyadh Air Airbus A350-1000 Rendering - Courtesy Airbus

On Monday (June 16, 2025), from the Paris Air Show 2025, Airbus announced that Riyadh Air, the new premium airline based in Saudi Arabia, has placed a firm order for 25 Airbus A350-1000s, an order which can potentially be increased to 50 aircraft.  The agreement was signed in Paris today at a ceremony attended by H.E Yasir Al-Rumayyan, The Governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Christian Scherer, CEO Commercial Aircraft at Airbus and Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air.  With this order, Riyadh Air will become the first airline in the Kingdom to operate the A350-1000.

In Monday’s announcement, Riyadh Air’s Chief Financial Officer, Adam Boukadida, said,

“This order marks a significant step forward in building a world-class airline that reflects the ambitions of Vision 2030.  The A350-1000 will bring outstanding efficiency and comfort to our fleet, supporting our sustainability goals and enabling Riyadh Air to offer a premium experience while connecting Saudi Arabia to the world.  It’s a clear signal of our intent to shape the future of air travel and contribute meaningfully to the Kingdom’s fast-growing aviation ecosystem.”

Also commenting on the new aircraft order, Airbus’ EVP Sales -Commercial Aircraft, Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, said,

“We are proud to extend our strategic partnership with Riyadh Air as it continues to build a pioneering carrier for the Kingdom.  As the long-range leader, the A350-1000 will provide unrivalled efficiency, range and passenger comfort, making it the ideal choice to support the airline’s ambitious growth plans and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives to enhance global connectivity and economic diversification.”

The state-of-the-art Airbus A350 Family is the world’s most modern and efficient widebody aircraft, and offers the longest range capability of any commercial airliner in production today. Like all Airbus aircraft, the A350 can currently operate on up to 50 percent SAF, with Airbus aiming to have all aircraft 100 percent SAF capable by 2030.  As of May 31, 2025, the A350 Family had won over 1,390 orders from over 60 customers worldwide.  Currently, 657 of the type are in service on long, medium and short haul flights around the world.

Source: Airbus