According to aviation outlet AeroTime, Riyadh Air added Kuala Lumpur, Malaga in Spain, and Dhaka in Bangladesh to its official website on June 29, 2026, and started offering reservations.
There will be thrice-weekly flights between Riyadh and the Malaysian capital starting on July 30.
The airline began flights to Malaga on July 14 and will start flying to Dhaka on Aug. 7.
Riyadh Air will then fly to eight destinations, the other five being London and Manchester in the U.K., Cairo in Egypt, Dubai, and Madrid in Spain.
|
A Riyadh Air Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flies over London Heathrow on Jan. 4, 2026. Photo by Colin Cooke Photo (CC BY-SA 4.0) |
Choosing Kuala Lumpur as the first Asian destination is a savvy move since it sends tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims to Saudi Arabia each year for Hajj and Umrah.
For years, these travelers had to endure long layovers in other Gulf cities, often spending 11 to 14 hours in transit.
Route analysis from FlyTeam highlights that the new direct flight to Riyadh cuts flying time to around eight hours.
Beyond religious travel, travel journal Travel and Tour World notes that the route creates two-way opportunities for international visitors.
Travelers between Southeast Asia and major cities in Europe can fly via Riyadh and use Kuala Lumpur as a convenient hub.
Riyadh Air has said it aims to compete with major Middle East hubs like Dubai by bringing luxury and comfort back to long-haul flights.
To achieve this, it will fly brand-new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, modern aircraft that are highly efficient, allowing it to offer more direct, nonstop routes.
Industry outlet Flight Global has reported that the airline is rapidly building a massive fleet of new Boeing and Airbus jets.
As part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 program, Riyadh Air aims to serve over 100 destinations by the end of the decade, giving international travelers even more direct choices and premium flying experiences.
Bookings opened in late June 2026.