Riyadh Air Touches Down in Madrid – Landmark Maiden Flight Lands Following Successful Malaga Debut

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new full-service national carrier, today officially commenced operations to Spain as its maiden flight from Riyadh touched down at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) this morning. The historic landing of flight RX0531 establishes the only direct scheduled air link between Madrid and Riyadh, ushering in a new era of economic, tourism, and cultural connectivity between Spain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The celebratory arrival in Madrid comes just three days after the airline successfully launched its seasonal service to Malaga on July 14, 2026. This highly anticipated summer extension operates as a seamless continuation of the flight arriving from Riyadh, giving travelers premium, effortless access to Spain’s Costa del Sol through September 8, 2026.

To mark this significant milestone, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport attended by Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas, the CEO of Atlético Madrid Miguel Marín, and senior leaders from Riyadh Air and the airport.

Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, stated: “Today, we have built a critical bridge that brings Saudi Arabia and Spain closer than ever before. Touchdown in Madrid, paired with our seasonal Malaga service and our new strategic partnership with Air Europa, represents a massive leap forward in our mission to connect Riyadh to the world. We are incredibly proud to welcome guests aboard our state-of-the-art Dreamliners to experience authentic Saudi hospitality, whilst offering Spanish travelers a seamless gateway to Riyadh’s booming business and leisure landscape.“

The launch of the Madrid-Riyadh service significantly strengthens the cultural and economic ties between both nations. Nearly 250 Spanish companies currently operate within Saudi Arabia, and this route connects Europe’s gateway directly with Riyadh’s rapidly growing hub under Saudi Vision 2030. The connection also builds on Riyadh Air’s longstanding presence in Spanish sports culture as the main sponsor of both the men’s and women’s Atlético de Madrid teams and the naming partner of the iconic Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium. Riyadh Air worked closely with Saudi Arabia’s Air Connectivity Program (ACP), the executive enabler of the National Tourism and Aviation Strategies, in opening this new international route to the Kingdom.

A New Strategic Partnership Connecting the Kingdom, Spain and Latin America

Coinciding with today’s historic arrival, Riyadh Air is also celebrating the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with leading Spanish-based airline, Air Europa.

Subject to regulatory approvals, Riyadh Air (RX) and Air Europa (UX) will develop a collaborative framework to establish seamless connectivity between their respective hubs. The strategic partnership will leverage Air Europa’s robust network across Spain, Southern Europe, and Latin America, using Madrid-Barajas as its key transit point. The partnership is expected to focus on establishing interline connectivity, potential codeshare cooperation, loyalty program reciprocity, cargo cooperation, and digital innovation initiatives.