Riyadh Air: 15 possible routes discovered for 2026 (Italy not there)
When a new global airline is born, the aviation industry always tends to watch it very carefully. New routes and [...]
Riyadh Air
RUH
When a new global airline is born, the aviation industry always tends to watch it very carefully. New routes and new hubs can change the balance of international traffic, especially when there are very large investments behind the project.
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Therefore, many observers are following with interest Riyadh Air. The new Saudi Arabian company wants to turn Saudi Arabia's capital into a major air traffic hub between Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
In recent days, however, an interesting news has emerged: Analyzing airport slot data for the 2026 summer season., several industry observers have identified what could be the company's first international network. And among the destinations that have emerged Italy does not appear.
Why Riyadh Air is an important project
Riyadh Air is not just any airline. It is one of the most ambitious projects in aviation in recent years and is part of the strategy by which Saudi Arabia aims to develop tourism and international connectivity.
The goal is very clear: Transform Riyadh into a major global hub capable of connecting Europe, Asia and Africa, following a model similar to that developed in recent decades by Gulf airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad.
The officially confirmed routes
To date Riyadh Air has only officially confirmed some of its first destinations.
These include. London Heathrow and Dubai, two symbolic routes that clearly show the company's strategy: to connect Riyadh with major international hubs and the region's major economic centers.
These were also joined by Cairo, a very important destination for traffic between the Middle East and North Africa. Thus, this is an initial core of official routes, while the rest of the network has yet to be formally announced.
Other routes discovered by analyzing airport slots
The real scoop of recent days, however, comes from the analysis of data on the Airport slots for the Summer 2026 season. published by Airport Coordination Limited, the body that manages slot distribution at several international airports. Starting from these documents, several industry analysts and specialized sites such as Aeroroutes have reconstructed what could be the company's first international network.
In addition to the routes already confirmed, connections to several cities between Europe, the Middle East and Asia would emerge from the data.
In Europe, the following appear Manchester and Paris Charles de Gaulle. In the Middle East and North Africa include. Marrakech, Amman, and Jeddah. Looking instead toward Asia, the following emerge. Islamabad, Mumbai, Lahore, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Jakarta, Malé and Kuala Lumpur.
It is important to note that these destinations do not yet represent a full official announcement by the company, but derived from the analysis of slots requested or planned for the 2026 summer season.
In the aviation world, however, this kind of data is often a good indicator of what routes will actually be launched.
Italy remains out for now
No Italian cities appear among the emerged destinations. Italy, however, is not necessarily excluded from the company's future plans. Indeed, traffic between Italy and Saudi Arabia has grown in recent years, and direct connections between the two countries have increased.
It is therefore possible that cities such as Milan or Rome may join the network at a later stage, as the company receives new aircraft and expands its network.
In conclusion
The gestation of this company has been enormous, was already supposed to fly by 2024 and instead has not sold a ticket yet and it is not even clear if and when it will. Sure the cabins will be top, the service top notch, but even if you have a blank check you still can't control the assembly lines and geopolitics like what is happening right now in the Middle East.
