Riyadh Air is shifting selected services on six city pairs through Al Qassim from Oct. 25, adding a lengthy road transfer for travelers starting in Riyadh.
The affected connections link Riyadh with Cairo, Jeddah, Dhaka, London Heathrow, Lahore and Islamabad. The airline directs passengers whose trips begin in Riyadh to check in at InterContinental Durrat Al Riyadh before boarding a free coach for Al Qassim Airport. Riyadh Air estimates the road journey at four hours and 30 minutes.
In a separate notice, King Khalid International Airport assigned domestic operations to Terminal 1 and international flights by Saudi national carriers to Terminal 2, effective Oct. 25. The airport advised travelers to confirm details with their airlines.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said two Oct. 8 attacks targeted airport facilities and a Saudia aircraft, killing three Saudi citizens. In its Oct. 11 update on a separate Oct. 10 attack, GACA reported 12 deaths and 309 injuries. Arab News reported Oct. 25 that 13 people died in the Oct. 10 incident, a figure that conflicts with GACA’s count.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced Riyadh Air in March 2023 as a wholly owned company and set a goal of connecting Riyadh with more than 100 destinations by 2030. The fund said the airline was intended to strengthen Riyadh’s role as a global transport, trade and tourism hub and support economic diversification. PIF also projected a $20 billion contribution to non-oil GDP growth and more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs, but did not give a time frame for those estimates. Riyadh Air began its first domestic service, between Riyadh and Jeddah, on June 14, 2026.
Riyadh Air says eligible passengers can rebook on available flights through Nov. 30, 2026. Those booked on the six listed city pairs may also rebook via Al Qassim for travel through Nov. 7, 2026.
