dailynewsnblog
Saudi Arabia’s newest airline, 
Riyadh Air, has announced plans to start flying from Riyadh Airport (RUH) to Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP). The new service will be operated four times weekly and begin on December 16 on board the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. This new service marks the carrier’s fourth European destination after London, Manchester and Madrid.
Riyadh Air’s new service to Milan is the first Italian destination, outrunning Rome. Riyadh Air will operate the route on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, with a middle-of-the-night departure from Saudi Arabia, for an early morning arrival into the fashion capital Milan. Return flights will push back to late morning, for an early evening arrival back into Riyadh.
Riyadh Air’s Expansion: Italy Wasn’t On The Radar
Earlier this year, Riyadh Air had published a list of 15 potential destinations that the airline was considering. Italy wasn’t even on this list. As new aircraft have been delivered to the airline, new routes have been launched, and Milan will mark the airline’s fourth European gateway.
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For passengers onboard, the flights operated with the 787-9 will offer economy, premium economy, and business class, which are all designed with Saudi-inspired heritage and traditions with an atmosphere alike Bedouin tents. The aircraft can accommodate a total of 290 passengers across the three cabins.
Simple Flying reached out to Riyadh Air for comment; however, an airline spokesperson could not immediately be reached.
Four Weekly Flights From December
As announced on September 21, Riyadh Air’s new service to Milan will mark the airline’s eight overall destination and will follow the schedule below, as analyzed by Aeroroutes:
Flight Number | From | To | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Days Operated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RX519 | Riyadh (RUH) | Milan Malpensa (MXP) | 2:45 AM | 7:05 AM | Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday |
RX520 | Milan Malpensa (MXP) | Riyadh (RUH) | 9:55 AM | 5:15 PM | Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday |
The timed arrival and departure times from Riyadh align well with the airline’s modest Middle Eastern and Asian connections, providing opportunities for travelers to connect to Jeddah, Dubai and Cairo in the Middle East, or Mumbai and Bangkok in Asia.
Riyadh Air, which currently does not belong to any alliance, has been forging a number of partnerships with airlines to boost its presence and capabilities. As the airline boasts, these will allow the airline to offer more connecting flights and expanded travel options as the airline continues to grow; airlines include Saudia, Singapore Airlines, Air China, China Eastern, Delta Air Lines, EgyptAir, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Air France, KLM, Air India, Air Europa, and ANA. As you can see, there’s a mixed bag that includes all major airline alliances (Star Alliance, SkyTeam and Oneworld).
Where Might Riyadh Air Fly Next?
Riyadh Air is planning to serve more than 100 destinations by 2030, with the airline’s CEO Tony Douglas saying to news outlet Al Arabiya that the carrier would add up to 22 destinations by March 22. This includes a major focus on the Indian subcontinent, typical European gateways, and other Asian hubs. It remains to be seen if they will reach the 22, with Milan coming online in December, and this being only its eighth destination.
Currently, Riyadh Air operates a once-daily service to London, a three-weekly service to Manchester, and a four-weekly service to Madrid in Europe, alongside double-daily flights to Cairo, and once-daily flights to Bangkok, Mumbai, and Dubai. Four daily domestic flights operate from Riyadh to Jeddah.
Riyadh Air is the second flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and took its first commercial flight in October 2025. The airline plans to take over all Saudia services from Riyadh by 2030, coinciding with Saudi Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to turn the Saudi capital into a global aviation and logistics hub.
