Air France resumes flights to Riyadh after six-year hiatus

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Air France resumes flights to Riyadh after six-year hiatus

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Air France | Official Website

By Sky Industry News

Mar 18, 2025

Air France has announced its return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with flights from Paris set to commence in May after a six-year hiatus. The airline made the announcement on March 12, stating that it will begin flights from Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) to Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH) on May 19. Initially, there will be thrice-weekly itineraries, which will increase to five weekly flights starting June 2.

The route will be serviced by an Airbus A350-900 aircraft equipped with 34 business class seats and 266 economy class seats, totaling 324 seats. With the inauguration of this new route, all Air France-KLM group airlines, including KLM and Transavia—the group’s low-cost subsidiary—will offer services to Saudi Arabia.

While Air France is introducing this singular route, KLM already operates flights between Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) and both Riyadh and Dammam King Fahd International Airport (DMM). Meanwhile, Transavia offers flights from Paris Orly Airport (ORY) and Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS) to Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED).

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Data from aviation analytics company Cirium’s Diio Mi airline planning tool revealed that Air France had previously served the Paris-Charles De Gaulle to Riyadh route since at least 2000 but abandoned it in January 2019. At that time, there was a thrice-weekly service operated by an Airbus A330-200.

The schedule for the new flights sees departure from Paris at23:10 local time (UTC +2), arriving in Riyadh at06:25 local time (UTC +3) the next day. The return itinerary is scheduled to depart Riyadh at08:40 local time , landing in Paris at14:20 local time .

In addition to Riyadh, Air France has also scheduled flights commencing in June for three other Middle East destinations: Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY), Dubai International Airport (DXB), and Tel Aviv Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV). Daily flights are planned from Paris-Charles De Gaulle to each of these destinations.

Air France noted that the new flights would strengthen their existing partnership with SAUDIA and bolster ties with Saudi Arabia itself. In December2024 , Air France-KLM disclosed plans for new routes into Saudi Arabia supported by the Saudi Air Connectivity Program(ACP).

The ACP was established by the Saudi Arabian government in2021to facilitate market entry and promote expansion opportunities for airlines looking towards Saudi Arabia."Through the development of new routes," said ACP's website,"the Program aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in tourism and air connectivity."

On March12 , alongside announcing their return flight path into Riyadh; AirFrance-KLMandSAUDIA signed a strategic memorandum of understanding(MoU). This agreement laid foundations for increased cooperation within passenger transportation sectors as well as aircraft maintenance domains.The MoU stipulated an expanded codeshare agreement while grantingAirFrance-KLM’smaintenance arm firm minimum contracts covering50%work onSAUDIA’sBoeing777GEAerospaceGE90engines—with potential joint ventures extending overGEAerospaceGEnxengines used optionally aboard Boeing787aircrafts.