Delta Air Lines Delays Direct Saudi Arabia Route to March 2027

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 12, Delta Air Lines announced that, due to changes in the security situation in the Middle East, it will postpone the direct Atlanta–Riyadh, Saudi Arabia route originally scheduled to launch on October 23 to March 2027. The route was originally planned to be operated with Airbus A350-900 wide-body aircraft, initially with one daily flight, later adjusted to three weekly flights. This delay pushes back Delta Air Lines' plan to enter the Saudi Arabian passenger market by approximately five months.

Delta Air Lines first announced plans to launch a direct route to Saudi Arabia in October 2025, and confirmed the specific launch date in August 2026. According to the original schedule, flight DL318 was planned to depart Atlanta at 22:30 local time and arrive in Riyadh at 19:35 the following day; the return flight DL317 was planned to take off at 23:30 and arrive in Atlanta at 7:05 the following day. The one-way distance of the route is approximately 11,700 kilometers, and it was to be served by a 275-seat Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

This adjustment follows an attack on Riyadh International Airport. Several Saudi Arabian airlines have successively canceled or adjusted flights, and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration also required U.S. air carriers on October 11 to exercise caution when flying in Saudi airspace. Delta Air Lines stated that it will continue to maintain contact with relevant governments and aviation partners, including Saudia and Riyadh Air, and will assess subsequent operational arrangements based on the regional situation.

For passengers who have already purchased tickets, Delta Air Lines issued a dedicated travel waiver policy. The affected travel dates are from October 23, 2026 to March 26, 2027, and it applies to tickets issued on or before October 12. Eligible passengers may change their itinerary free of charge, or apply for a refund or electronic voucher. According to the policy, passengers must complete rebooking and travel that meets the waiver requirements by May 31, 2027.

The Atlanta–Riyadh route was originally set to become Delta Air Lines' first direct passenger route to Saudi Arabia, and also the first nonstop passenger route from the United States to Riyadh operated by a U.S. airline. Delta Air Lines had previously established a strategic partnership with Riyadh Air and maintains a codeshare cooperation with Saudia. The company has not yet determined the specific first flight date in March 2027 in the delay announcement.