Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Air plans to buy up to 72 Boeing 787 Dreamliners

Riyadh: Riyadh Air, the new airline launched by the Public Investment Fund, today announced an order of up to 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes in a multi-billion dollar deal. The deal includes 39 confirmed aircraft with an option to acquire 33 additional wide-body 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes.

In total, national carriers today announced their intent to purchase up to 121 787 Dreamliners in what will be the fifth largest commercial order by value in Boeing’s history. This will support the country’s goal of serving 330 million passengers and attracting 100 million visits by 2030.

The deal is expected to support nearly 100,000 direct and indirect jobs and more than 300 suppliers from across 38 states, including 145  small businesses, in the US. While in Saudi Arabia, the new airline is expected to add $20 billion to non-oil GDP growth and create more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.

"Riyadh Air’s commitment to its guests will see the integration of digital innovation and authentic Saudi hospitality to deliver a seamless travel experience," said Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air. "By positioning the airline as both a global connector and a vehicle to drive tourist and business travel to Saudi Arabia, our new 787-9 airplanes will serve as a foundation for our worldwide operations, as we build the wider network and connect our guests to Saudi Arabia and many destinations around the world."

The first deliveries of the widebody aircraft are scheduled for early 2025.

"The order underlines the importance of Riyadh Air environmental goals as it aims to operate one of the newest and most sustainable airline fleets in the world," the airline said in a statement.

The new airline was launched earlier this week and will serve as a lever to help fulfill Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives.