NEW DELHI, 9 June 2026: Air India and Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the foundation for a partnership that will offer guests seamless connections between India, Saudi Arabia, and destinations beyond.
The MoU reflects the shared ambition of both full-service premium carriers to boost global connectivity for travellers flying between India, Saudi Arabia, and beyond, leveraging the geographical advantages of their hubs at Delhi, Mumbai, and Riyadh.
Subject to regulatory approvals, Air India and Riyadh Air intend to introduce interline and codeshare arrangements that will enable guests to travel seamlessly across each other’s networks with the convenience of a single booking and smoother onward connections via their respective hubs.
The two airlines will also explore collaboration to build reciprocal loyalty programme benefits, cargo services, operational support and digital and technology initiatives. The partnership supports growing demand for travel linked to business, tourism, and family visits, reflecting the deep economic, cultural, and people-to-people ties between Saudi Arabia and India.
Air India Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Campbell Wilson, said: “India and Saudi Arabia are two important growth markets in global aviation today, and the scale and momentum in both countries make this a natural partnership.
“We look forward to working with Riyadh Air to bring together complementary strengths of the two airlines to unlock that opportunity with a focus on offering our guests more choice across our combined networks and elevating their travel experiences.”
Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas stated: “India is one of the most important and dynamic aviation markets in the world, and this partnership with Air India marks a defining step in Riyadh Air’s mission to connect Saudi Arabia with key global destinations. Together, we will offer guests a seamless, world-class experience that reflects the deep cultural and economic bonds shared between our two nations.”
Since its privatisation in 2022, Air India has expanded its global alliance network. Today, the airline maintains 25 codeshare partnerships and nearly 120+ interline agreements with leading carriers worldwide, providing seamless access for Air India customers to over 1,000 destinations globally.
(Source: Air India)
