The official certification ceremony took place in the presence of His Excellency Saleh Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics and Chairman of the GACA Board, and His Excellency Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, President of GACA, who presented the certificate to Riyadh Air’s CEO Tony Douglas.
His Excellency the President of GACA stated, “GACA’s issuance of the Air Operator Certificate to Riyadh Air marks a significant milestone within the framework of the Saudi Aviation Strategy. Riyadh Air will enhance competition, offer greater value and choices for travelers, and improve connectivity both domestically and globally.”
According to GACA, the licensing process has involved several key phases, including initial consultations, submission of the formal application, review of operational documentation, on-site inspections, and final approvals. The process for Riyadh Air to obtain its AOC extended over 11 months and was overseen by a dedicated team of 10 Saudi aviation safety inspectors and technical experts from GACA, who conducted over 200 hours of test flights to ensure full compliance with the highest operational standards.
Commenting on the milestone, Riyadh Air CEO Mr. Tony Douglas said: “Obtaining the Air Operator Certificate is an important milestone in the company’s journey. It is the result of the efforts of many employees at Riyadh Air. Today, we can proudly say that Riyadh Air is now an airline with an operational license to transport our traveling guests, and we are ready to begin operations later in 2025.”
Falcons Spotters / Shutterstock Riyadh Air, a sister airline to national carrier Saudia has been established to improve connections to the Kingdon as part of the country’s Vision 2030 program which aims to attract over 330 million visitors to Saudia Arabia annually by 2030. Riyadh Air is expected to operate domestic, regional, and long-haul flights from Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) to over 100 destinations by 2030, supported by an order of over 132 aircraft.
In January 2025 as part of the airline’s AOC application process, Riyadh Air’s first operational Boeing 787-9 performed its maiden flight in the Saudi carrier’s livery, between Riyadh-King Khalid International Airport (RUH), Saudi Arabia, and Istanbul (IST) Turkey. The aircraft (registration HZ-RXX) was previously operated by Oman Air and the purpose of the special flight was to perform crew training and familiarization flights to satisfy GACA of its capability to operate scheduled flights.
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The airline currently has outstanding orders for 39 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners with options for another 33 aircraft of the same type placed in March 2023. Then in October 2024, the carrier placed an order for 60 Airbus A321neo single-aisle aircraft at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) 8th Edition Conference in Saudi Arabia.
In November 20924, the airline confirmed that it would be re-entering negotiations with the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers for further widebody aircraft, as the company works towards its goal of operating a fleet of more than 200 aircraft in the coming years.
The startup airline is expected to create more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs and contribute approximately $19.9 billion to the Kingdom’s non-oil GDP. This operational license follows the earlier issuance of an Economic License to Riyadh Air in June 2023.
Riyadh Air The awarding of Riyadh Air’s license comes amid a period of record-breaking momentum for Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector. In 2024, the number of passengers rose by 15% to exceed 128 million, a number which equates to approximately 25% above pre-pandemic levels. The number of flights increased by 11% to reach over 905,000.
Additionally, air connectivity in the Kingdom grew by 16%, linking the country to more than 170 destinations around the world. The air cargo sector also experienced exceptional growth, recording a 34% increase to reach 1.2 million tons in total volume for the year.
