Saudi Riyadh Air Granted Approval to Launch Routes to Beijing and Shanghai

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's new flag carrier, has received approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China to operate passenger services from Riyadh to Beijing and Shanghai. According to the announcement, the Riyadh-Beijing route will operate three flights per week, while the Riyadh-Shanghai route will operate four flights per week, providing a total of seven round-trip flights per week across both routes. Specific launch dates and flight schedules have not yet been announced and are subject to further follow-up applications submitted by the airline to the civil aviation authority.

The company took delivery of its first three Boeing 787-9 aircraft in early June 2026. Riyadh Air currently has orders for a total of 72 Boeing 787-9, 50 Airbus A350-1000, and 60 Airbus A321neo aircraft.

Riyadh Air has already launched or is about to launch multiple international routes, including London (UK), Cairo (Egypt), Dubai, Jeddah, Madrid, Manchester, Malaga, Kuala Lumpur, and Mumbai. The company plans to expand its route network to cover over 100 destinations worldwide by 2030.

Additionally, Riyadh Air has received approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation to operate flights between Saudi Arabia and the United States. Although specific launch dates and routes have not yet been announced, this approval clears regulatory hurdles for its future U.S. routes.