Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new digitally native airline and Delta Air Lines, the world’s leading premium airline, and have signed a Strategic Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding with the goal of introducing a broad range of benefits for customers traveling between North America, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and onward destinations.
The agreement signed at a ceremony at the Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta, serves as the foundation for a strategic partnership that will enable both airlines to strengthen connectivity, expand their networks and drive future growth.
Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air stated: “We look forward to enjoying a very warm and productive relationship with Delta Air Lines, one of the largest and most successful airlines in the world. Riyadh Air and Delta Air Lines share common goals and pursue the highest standards in many areas including guest experience, loyalty, and sustainability, built upon great networks and strong connectivity.”
“This partnership with Riyadh Air will further Delta’s mission of connecting the world and open an array of new choices, benefits and destinations for our customers traveling to and from Saudi Arabia,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “Most importantly, Riyadh Air shares Delta’s commitment to providing a welcoming, caring and elevated customer experience, which is why we’re looking forward to building and expanding this partnership in the months and years ahead.”
The agreement, subject to regulatory approvals, envisions a long-term relationship that includes interline and codeshare connectivity, as well as a deeper partnership encompassing loyalty, customer experience, digital transformation and broader aviation services such as maintenance, repair and overhaul services, ground handling and training. Both airlines are committed to driving the best sustainability practices throughout their operations as they transform the future of travel.
Riyadh Air, which will begin operations in 2025, is committed to building a premier carrier for customers traveling to and from the Middle East, with its base of operations in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Delta, which will mark its 100th anniversary next year, is the most-awarded U.S. airline with an industry-leading global network and an unrivaled reputation for outstanding customer service and operational excellence.
This partnership is part of Riyadh Air’s efforts to support the growth of the aviation industry both domestically and internationally, boost the non-oil GDP of the Kingdom to a potential 75 billion riyals, generate over 200,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities, and improve the competitiveness of domestic businesses.
