Riyadh Air debuts Mumbai flights, opens bookings for Pakistan, Philippines

Dhaka: Saudi Arabia's new national carrier, Riyadh Air, has launched its first route into India with daily nonstop services to Mumbai while opening bookings for upcoming flights to Pakistan and the Philippines.

Direct flights to Mumbai

The flights between Riyadh and Mumbai commenced on August 4. The airline operates the daily service with its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, offering Economy, Business, and Business Elite cabin options.

Outbound flight RX697 departs Riyadh at 2:05 pm and arrives in Mumbai at 8:35 pm. Return flight RX698 leaves Mumbai at 10:05 pm and lands in Riyadh at 11:50 pm.

The four-hour flights provide onward connections through King Khalid International Airport to destinations across Europe and the Middle East, including London, Madrid, Cairo, and Jeddah.

Furthermore, the daily wide-body schedule supplies belly-hold freight capacity for time-sensitive cargo such as pharmaceuticals, electronics, and e-commerce shipments.

Upcoming Asian expansion

Following its Mumbai debut, Riyadh Air will extend its Asian network to Pakistan and the Philippines. Direct services to Islamabad will launch on August 14, Lahore on August 18, and Manila on September 9. Ticket bookings for all three routes are currently open.

The upcoming flights aim to serve Pakistani and Filipino expatriates residing in Saudi Arabia, alongside business travelers and tourists. The network expansion aims to further strengthens Riyadh's positioning as a regional transit hub, offering seamless transfers across the Kingdom and Europe.