United Airlines urged to consider flights to Riyadh from Washington Dulles

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.