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United Airlines urged to consider flights to Riyadh from Washington Dulles

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United Airlines urged to consider flights to Riyadh from Washington Dulles
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United Airlines | Official Website

United Airlines is being encouraged to consider introducing flights to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, according to a senior airline network planner and industry commentator. This move would mark a significant milestone as United would be the first North American passenger airline to operate flights to Saudi Arabia. Current operators, such as Saudia, already serve the US/Canada, with the upcoming Riyadh Air expected to enter this market as well. United, however, stands to gain from the Saudi Air Connectivity Program, which has supported many new routes to the country.

The proposed Riyadh route would originate from United's Washington Dulles hub. In 2024, booking data indicated that 69,000 passengers traveled round-trip between Dulles and Riyadh, a 16% increase from the previous year. The average fare was recorded at a substantial $2,100 one-way, reflecting the high volume of business and first-class travelers. Unlike Jeddah, Riyadh is a destination largely driven by business and government travel, visiting friends and relatives, and students, which results in higher yields.

"The market is high-yielding, has steady growth, and would provide strong onward transit feed [via Dulles] to positively boost the financial performance of any new nonstop service," stated the source.

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While United would face competition from Saudia, which operates a thrice-weekly service with a 290-seat 777-300ER, United's advantage lies in its focus on US-Riyadh traffic, not the lower-yielding Dulles-Indian Subcontinent market. Additional benefits include the Fly America Act, which mandates US government travelers to use US carriers, and the fact that Delta's partnership with Riyadh Air might focus on other US hubs instead of Dulles.

The senior network planner suggests that United should deploy the 257-seat 787-9 aircraft for this potential route, featuring 48 Polaris suites, 21 Premium Plus seats, 39 Economy Plus, and 149 regular economy seats. The service would be three days a week, capturing both government and connecting passenger traffic, including from major US cities like Los Angeles and Chicago.

United Airlines currently operates more flights to the Middle East than any other North American airline, partly due to its partnership with Emirates. Their existing Middle Eastern services include three daily routes to Dubai and Tel Aviv from Newark. However, the airline has cut or suspended various other routes in the region due to various factors, including the Israel-Palestine conflict, which affected Dulles-Amman services.

United's potential entry into the Riyadh market represents a growth opportunity in a high-yield environment, with specific competitive advantages over existing and upcoming players. The airline's expansion into Saudi Arabia would further bolster its Middle Eastern network and capture emerging passenger demand.

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