Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's national carrier, launched non-stop flights between Riyadh and Bangkok on Thursday, marking its 12th international destination since starting operations in June 2026, the airline said in a statement.

The inaugural flight, RX0853, departed King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh at 11:15 pm local time on September 2 and landed at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport — Thailand's main international gateway, located southeast of the capital — at 10:35 am on September 3, according to the statement. The milestone was marked by ceremonies at both airports attended by senior government officials from Saudi Arabia and Thailand, along with Riyadh Air leadership and tourism representatives.

Tony Douglas, Chief Executive Officer of Riyadh Air, said Bangkok was "an extraordinary global hub for leisure and trade" and that the new route fulfilled the airline's promise to connect Riyadh to the world while supporting Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 economic diversification plan.

"By establishing this direct link between these vibrant capitals we are not only fulfilling our promise to connect Riyadh to the world, but also supporting Saudi Vision 2030 by driving two-way tourism, business exchange, and cultural connections between Saudi Arabia and Thailand," Douglas said, according to the statement. He added that the route would move to daily service on November 9, which he said underlined "the strength of the connectivity that Riyadh Air is bringing to both cities."

Chiravadee Khunsub, Deputy Governor for International Marketing at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said the new service added capacity at a strategically important time.

"The Riyadh–Bangkok service adds direct capacity at an important time for TAT's development of Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East. It gives travelers more convenient access to Bangkok and destinations across Thailand while helping TAT and our partners reach high-value family, luxury, wellness and medical segments more effectively," Khunsub said.

The route will initially operate three times weekly—departing Riyadh on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with return flights from Bangkok on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays—before increasing to four weekly flights on October 26 and reaching daily service on November 9, per the schedule released by the airline. Flights are operated by Riyadh Air's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which offers four cabin classes: Business Elite, Business, Premium Economy and Economy.

The airline's statement cited government data showing that the first Saudi–Thai Coordination Council, held in January 2025, reported a sixfold increase in mutual tourist visits over the preceding three years, along with a 25 percent rise in bilateral trade and investment, which it said now exceeds $3.5 billion. Separately, TAT data cited in the statement showed Middle East and Africa arrivals to Thailand surpassed one million for the first time in 2025, with 210,000 visitors from the Middle East arriving in the first half of 2026.

Tickets for the route are available through the Riyadh Air app, its website, and travel agents, the airline said. It also promoted its loyalty programme, Sfeer, whose name combines the Arabic word for "ambassador" with the English word "sphere."

Source: PR