Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier and a PIF-owned company, has boosted its air connectivity with southern Europe, launching its first direct flight to Madrid.
This new milestone deepens tourism and economic ties between Saudi Arabia and Spain, expands the airline‘s footprint in Europe, and opens a gateway to Latin America through the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport.
From Riyadh to Madrid
The Big Picture: The first nonstop flight between Riyadh and Madrid took off on Friday, July 17, 2026, marking a major stride towards strengthening Saudi-Spanish economic, tourism, and cultural ties, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The airline will operate four flights a week, in collaboration with the Air Connectivity Program.
The Context: The inauguration of the new Madrid route comes on the heels of the launch earlier this week of seasonal flights to Málaga on July 14, 2026, which gives travelers direct access to Spain’s Costa del Sol through September 8, 2026.
Riyadh Air is rapidly expanding its network, in line with its ultimate goal of becoming a global aviation leader. In addition to Málaga, the airline has recently added new destinations to its network, including Kuala Lumpur, Dhaka, Cairo, Dubai, Jeddah, London, and Manchester.
Twofold Strategy
While the Málaga seasonal flights target heightened tourism activity and luxury travel during summer, the Riyadh-Madrid route represents a permanent, year-round corporate channel.
Between The Lines: Currently, nearly 250 Spanish companies operate in Saudi Arabia. The new route provides Riyadh Air with a unique opportunity to capture this high-yielding business traffic using its state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet. Meanwhile, it provides direct access to Riyadh – an emerging global logistics and business hub under Saudi Vision 2030.
The Strategy: In line with Saudi Arabia’s National Aviation Strategy and Vision 2030, Riyadh Air aims to connect Riyadh with over 100 global destinations by 2030, focusing on opening global links for business and leisure travel.
To this end, the airline offers a modern fleet featuring cabins equipped with cutting-edge technology and elevated onboard amenities, as well as a variety of top-notch hospitality services to ensure a comprehensive travel experience.
A Gateway to Latin America
Riyadh Air also unveiled a major breakthrough, announcing the signing of a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Spanish carrier Air Europa.
Why It Matters: The MoU aims to leverage the Madrid-Barajas Airport as a key gateway to Spain, Southern Europe, and Latin America, streamlining passenger connectivity between Riyadh Air and Air Europa’s hubs.
How It Works: The MoU will provide seamless codeshares, interline connectivity, and aligned loyalty programs that allow a passenger to book a single ticket from Riyadh to major South American hubs via Madrid. It also paves the way for collaboration in air cargo and digital innovation initiatives.
Sports Diplomacy
Prior to the new route, Riyadh Air has established a footprint in Spain’s capital as the main sponsor and official airline partner of the Spanish football club Atlético de Madrid.
Zoom In: The airline’s logo features on the team’s match kits and the club’s home ground was rebranded as the Riyadh Air Metropolitano under a 9-year naming rights agreement.
State of Play: The Riyadh-Madrid route’s inauguration ceremony, which took place at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport, was attended by Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas, Atlético de Madrid CEO Miguel Ángel Gil, and senior executives from Riyadh Air and the airport.
What They Are Saying: Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas hailed the move as a “vital bridge connecting Saudi Arabia and Spain like never before.”
He added that the arrival of Riyadh Air’s inaugural Madrid flight, alongside the launch of the airline’s seasonal Málaga service and its strategic partnership with Air Europa, represents a significant milestone in its mission to connect Riyadh with the world’s leading destinations.
“We are delighted to welcome our guests aboard our state-of-the-art Dreamliner aircraft to experience authentic Saudi hospitality, while offering travelers from Spain a direct gateway to the growing business and tourism opportunities in Riyadh,” Douglas said.
The Bottom Line: Launching its first commercial flights in June 2026 and rapidly scaling its initial network, Riyadh Air is aggressively charting its course to hit its goal of 100 global destinations by 2030, transforming Riyadh into a global aviation hub.
