Riyadh Air Orders 60 Airbus A321 Single-Isle Jets

DALLAS — After months of speculation about its narrowbody fleet, we know the supplier and size of Saudi start-up carrier Riyadh Air's (RX) first single-aisle plane order.

Today, Saudi Arabia’s newest carrier, which is set to commence operations in 2025, finalized a significant deal with Airbus, with the airline ordering 60 Airbus narrowbody A321-family jets. This brings the total number of jets ordered by the carrier to 132. Last year, it had also ordered 39 Boeing 787 Dreamliners with the option to purchase an additional 33.

The A321 deal alone is estimated to be worth approximately US$4 billion after considering typical discounts based on estimated delivery prices from Cirium Ascend. This decision comes after months of speculation surrounding the order, which, according to Reuters, initially raised questions about the carrier’s preference for Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

In an interview on CNN’s Quest Means Business on Tuesday night, Riyadh Air’s chief executive, Tony Douglas, confirmed that another substantial aircraft order would be announced later that day and expressed his delight with the agreement.

While acknowledging that the deal involved single-aisle planes, Douglas refrained from disclosing the manufacturer, which we now know is Airbus. However, in a statement, the airline clarified that it was in the midst of a series of potential orders and was diligently studying both Boeing and Airbus for its next narrowbody purchase.

Comments from Riyadh Air, Airbus CEOs

“This investment will not only enable us to support economic growth in the aviation industry, it will ensure Riyadh Air operates one of the most fuel efficient fleets. It’ll be instrumental in helping Saudi Arabia achieve its decarbonisation goals,” said Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas. “This deal strongly reinforces the positive economic impact of Saudi Arabia’s newest airline on both a global and local scale to facilitate the fast-growing Saudi aviation ecosystem.”

Christian Scherer, CEO of Commercial Aircraft at Airbus said: “We are proud to welcome Riyadh Air as a new Airbus customer and partner. The latest generation A321neo aircraft will bring exceptional efficiency to the airline's operations, concrete contributions to its decarbonisation goals and comfort to its passengers. We look forward to working together to support the strong ambitions of Saudi aviation."

According to Airbus, "more than 6,700 A321neo have been ordered by more than 90 customers across the globe."