Filipino travelers heading to and from Saudi Arabia will soon have one more direct option, as Riyadh Air prepares to fly the Riyadh–Manila corridor every day beginning September 9, 2026.
The launch marks the carrier’s first foray into the Philippine market. It arrives roughly two months after the airline’s initial commercial flight to London in June, part of a fast-moving expansion that the company says is meant to link Saudi Arabia with more than 100 destinations worldwide by the end of the decade, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 agenda.
Passengers on the route will fly aboard the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Departure RX0873 lifts off from King Khalid International Airport at 1:05 a.m. and touches down at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 3:55 p.m. On the return leg, RX0874 pushes back from Manila at 5:25 p.m. and lands in the Saudi capital at 10:15 p.m., with all times reflecting local clocks. Both legs run daily.
According to the airline’s statement reported by BusinessWorld, the decision to serve Manila reflects rising travel demand between the two countries, driven by commercial ties, education, and tourism. Seats went on sale ahead of the first departure.
The Philippine route joins a cluster of new Asian additions for the carrier. Before Manila comes online, Riyadh Air is set to begin flying to Islamabad on August 14 and Lahore on August 18, both also served by the 787-9, per Khaleej Times.
Onboard, the Dreamliners carry four travel classes — Business Elite, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy — with the airline’s newest cabin fit-out. That interior scheme is now a fixture across the fleet the carrier is deploying on its freshly opened long-haul markets.
