Overview
- Delta CEO Ed Bastian confirmed the Atlanta–Riyadh route onstage at the Fortune Global Forum, making Delta the first U.S. carrier to serve the Saudi capital nonstop.
- Delta plans to start the service in October 2026 with three weekly flights on Airbus A350-900 aircraft featuring Delta One Suites, Premium Select, Comfort+, and Main Cabin seating.
- The ultra–long-haul link, exceeding 7,200 miles each way, will be among Delta’s longest routes once launched.
- The flight is part of a strategic cooperation with newly launched Riyadh Air following a July 2024 memorandum of understanding that envisions codesharing and loyalty alignment.
- Bastian said demand from U.S. travelers may start slowly, and reports indicate Saudi incentives are being offered to attract new routes as Riyadh Air celebrated its first flight to London Heathrow.