Virgin Atlantic & Riyadh Air Launch Partnership

By: Ben Schlappig

Updated: January 16, 2025
Published: September 4, 2024

26 comments

Just recently, Virgin Atlantic announced plans to fly to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. At the time, I predicted that there was a bit more to this story, and that’s quickly turning out to be the case…

In this post:

Virgin Atlantic & Riyadh Air unveil strategic cooperation plans

Virgin Atlantic and Riyadh Air have signed a strategic cooperation memorandum of understanding, with the goal of introducing a broad range of benefits for customers traveling between London and Saudi Arabia, and beyond. As a reminder, Riyadh Air is Saudi Arabia’s ambitious new airline startup, which plans to launch flights in 2025.

Since Riyadh Air is potentially still a year or so from launching, exact details of the partnership still have to be ironed out. However, the companies state that the long term goal is for this partnership to include an interline and codeshare agreement, and for the companies to collaborate on loyalty, customer experience, and more.

The reason I’m not surprised by this development is that Delta and Riyadh Air recently announced a partnership, which will even see Delta potentially flying to Riyadh. Not only does Delta own a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic, but Atlanta very much seems to play a part in making decisions at Virgin Atlantic.

Here’s how Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss describes this new partnership:

“Following on from the announcement of our new services from London to Riyadh, we’re committed to working with the best partners in the region, to ensure our first route to Saudi Arabia delivers choice to our customers. We’re looking forward to working closely with Riyadh Air as they embark on their journey into the skies.”

Meanwhile here’s how Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas describes this partnership:

“Our partnership with Virgin Atlantic will help us collectively provide additional connectivity to the Kingdom. Riyadh Air has signed agreements with a number of strong global partners around the world, most recently Delta Air Lines, and Virgin Atlantic’s network will assist our growth to and from Saudi Arabia as we enter service in summer 2025.”

Riyadh Air will partner with Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic will fly from London to Riyadh

As mentioned above, as of March 30, 2025, Virgin Atlantic will launch a new daily flight between London Heathrow (LHR) and Riyadh (RUH). The airline will use the Airbus A330-900neo for the route, and it will operate with the following schedule:

VS242 London to Riyadh departing 2:45PM arriving 11:35PM
VS243 Riyadh to London departing 1:25AM arriving 7:00AM

I found this to be an interesting development, given that Virgin Atlantic has been heavily focused on the North Atlantic, and has struggled to find many flying opportunities going east. I have to imagine that Virgin Atlantic is getting some sort of incentives for launching flights to Riyadh, or at a minimum, has some serious assurances from Riyadh Air.

I am curious to see how this partnership unfolds. While Riyadh Air is ambitious, the airline is starting from scratch, and will only grow its network slowly (given that you can only acquire aircraft so fast). I have to imagine that Riyadh to London will be one of Riyadh Air’s first long haul routes (it not the very first).

Could the goal be for Riyadh Air to route passengers headed to North America through London, connecting onto Virgin Atlantic? Or is Riyadh Air instead hoping to get connecting traffic beyond Riyadh from those Virgin Atlantic passengers? We know that Riyadh Air is primarily about serving the Riyadh market, rather than just funneling passengers through the airport.

Virgin Atlantic is launching Riyadh flights

Bottom line

Virgin Atlantic and Riyadh Air have announced plans for strategic cooperation. The airlines plan to partner across a variety of fields, including loyalty, passenger experience, and more. Furthermore, Virgin Atlantic will fly to Riyadh as of March 2025.

I’m not surprised to see this development, given what Delta and Riyadh Air recently announced. I’m still not 100% sure how this is going to play out, in terms of what exactly the goal is, since presumably Riyadh Air will also offer plenty of service to London over time.

What do you make of this Virgin Atlantic & Riyadh Air partnership?

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Mark Guest

September 6, 2024, 10:40 am

Could it be SV and RX (Riyadh Air) stand at the same alliance? Since they have kinda different market and business model later, and also SV would give RUH hub to RX, as it would much focused on JED

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GLCTraveler Diamond

September 5, 2024, 11:47 am

From my viewpoint, which is one who spent 5 years in KSA (The "SH" S@#$ Hole as we called it) commuting back and forth, RA is just another MBS "Wet Dream", like everything else they are spending money on in Saudi now to attract tourists!! My bet is it won't ever fully happen.... Kinda like "The Line", the 170km new city near NEOM on the Red Sea that was scaled back to about 3km +/- and where they laid off so many professionals and trade workers because they said it would be delayed a bit..... YAH RIGHT! Google it and see what you find!!? They are spending money like water, to build Ultra Expensive Resorts on the Red Sea, in hopes to get the Uber Rich to come and frolic there....... It's just all Crazy talk because MBS was convinced by multiple slick talking Management Consultants, that "If you build it, they will come." Riyadh Air, might be successful, but in reality, there are so many other options to fly to RUH or KSA in general, that they will have to do things extraordinarily different than others including alcohol or be much cheaper to lure customers to them!! Only time will tell...... One thing is for sure, I won't be choosing them for a flight once operational.

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kimshep Guest

September 5, 2024, 2:53 am

@Tim Dunn, Whilst I agree with a lot of the reasons you advance for the agreement between the two carriers - commonplace with new, unestablished airlines and a reasonably resourced experienced one - I DO have some reservations regarding the following sentence: "As one of the most successful airlines in the world, Riyadh Air recognizes that DL can bring alot to it - which is why their relationship goes beyond route and loyalty partnerships." Can you explain how an airline which hasn't flown a single revenue carrying passenger flight (and is far away from a 2025 launch) qualifies as "one of the most successful airlines in the world" ? By what metrics does this astounding sentiment arise?

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Duck Ling Guest

September 4, 2024, 3:23 pm

What I will find most interesting is the very obvious brand difference in Virgin and Riyadh Air and how this will be managed. Of course anyone flying to Saudi Arabia knows the deal. But maybe not so much Joe Bloggs that books a flight on expedia from London to Bangkok via RUH with two VS codeshares. Virgin is known for being socially progressive and 'out there' and Saudi Arabia is know for being well...neither of those things. As it stands, Riyadh Air will not be able to serve alcohol (unless the law in Saudi changes) and will likely heavily censor the IFE. When I flew Saudia (who were very good tbf) even in SITCOMS like 'Friends' they had the cleavage of the females blurred out. It was an experience! Realistically, Saudi Arabia's laws are not really any more harsh than say Qatar or the UAE but socially, they are definitely more conservative.

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SamB Diamond

September 4, 2024, 1:23 pm

Looking forward to seeing Riyadh Air at Brighton Pride.

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