MUMBAI- Riyadh Air (RX) has officially confirmed its long-awaited entry into the Indian market. The Saudi Arabian carrier will launch nonstop flights between Riyadh and Mumbai from August 4, 2026. Mumbai becomes the airline’s first destination in India and another milestone in its ambitious expansion strategy.
India has remained a priority market since Riyadh Air’s inception. Airline executives have repeatedly highlighted the country’s strategic importance. With the launch of these flights, Mumbai becomes the airline’s first destination in India
Riyadh Air Adds Flights to Mumbai
Riyadh Air’s inaugural India service will commence on August 4, 2026, connecting the Saudi capital with India’s financial hub using the airline’s flagship Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
Flight RX697 is scheduled to depart King Khalid International Airport (RUH) at 14:05 and arrive at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) at 20:35 local time. On the return journey, RX698 will depart Mumbai at 22:05 before touching down in Riyadh at 23:50.
The timings are expected to provide smooth onward connections through Riyadh Air’s expanding hub.
The flight timings are likely aligned with Riyadh Air’s hub-building strategy at Riyadh. As the airline adds more destinations, the schedule should enable convenient onward connections through the Saudi capital.
India Was Always a Key Market
Riyadh Air never hid its plans for India. Chief Executive Officer Tony Douglas repeatedly identified India as one of the airline’s most important future markets. He cited strong passenger demand, growing business ties, and the large Indian community living in Saudi Arabia.
Delhi or Mumbai was widely anticipated to become Riyadh Air’s first Indian destination. Both cities offer strong demand and extensive international connectivity. Riyadh Air eventually selected Mumbai for its Indian debut.
The city is India’s financial capital and one of the country’s busiest international gateways. Mumbai also has deep commercial ties with Saudi Arabia and a large expatriate community traveling between the two countries.
The India-Saudi Arabia market remains one of the busiest in the region. Demand is driven by business travelers, tourists, religious pilgrims, and visiting friends and relatives (VFR) traffic. The launch allows Riyadh Air to tap into this high-demand corridor while establishing its presence in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets.
Competitive India–Saudi Arabia Market
Riyadh Air will enter one of the most competitive international markets between India and Saudi Arabia. There will be 8 carriers operating nonstop flights between the two countries from August. This reflects strong demand mainly from pilgrims and the large Indian expatriate community.
India is currently served from Riyadh by Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, Flynas, IndiGo, and Saudia. Competition has intensified in recent months as airlines continue expanding their Saudi Arabian networks. Most recently, flyadeal launched daily nonstop flights between Riyadh and Hyderabad, strengthening connectivity between the two cities.
Mumbai remains one of the busiest India–Saudi Arabia corridors. With Riyadh Air’s entry, the Mumbai–Riyadh sector will be served by Air India, Akasa Air, flynas, IndiGo, Saudia, and Riyadh Air. This gives Mumbai the highest number of airlines operating nonstop flights to Riyadh among Indian cities. This highlights the route’s strategic importance and consistently strong passenger demand.
Riyadh Air Continues Network Expansion
The Mumbai announcement comes amid Riyadh Air’s rapid network expansion. The airline recently commenced commercial operations with flights to London Heathrow. It has since unveiled several new international routes across Europe and Asia.
Beginning July 14, 2026, Riyadh Air will operate three weekly seasonal flights between Riyadh and Malaga until September 8. The airline will also launch three weekly flights to Madrid from July 17. Services to Kuala Lumpur will commence on July 30 with three weekly frequencies.
The expansion will continue in August with the launch of daily flights to Dhaka from August 7. Riyadh Air will further strengthen its European network by introducing three weekly flights to Manchester from September 19.
Bottom line
Mumbai now joins the airline’s growing network as its first destination in India. The addition marks another milestone in Riyadh Air’s ambitious growth strategy. The carrier aims to serve more than 100 destinations by 2030 while expanding its fleet over the coming years.
The Indian market will surely play a key role in those plans. The airline aims to establish Riyadh as a major global hub, similar to Emirates in Dubai and Qatar Airways in Doha. More India Destinations are likely to emerge as the airline continues to take delivery of more airplanes.
Delhi and Bengaluru are among the strongest candidates. These cities have high premium traveler demand, which suits the type of product the airline is offering.
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