Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Air said on Tuesday it has opened ticket sales for a four-times-weekly service between Riyadh and Milan, starting December 16.

The route will be the airline's fifth in Europe and its 15th destination now on sale. Riyadh Air said the expansion is part of its plan to connect more than 100 global destinations by 2030.

The flights will link King Khalid International Airport (RUH) with Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) and will be operated with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. Bookings opened on the day of the announcement.

Flight RX0519 will leave Riyadh at 2:45 am and arrive in Milan at 7:05 am. The return flight, RX0520, will depart Milan at 9:55 am and land in Riyadh at 5:15 pm, all in local time. Both will operate on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with the first flights on December 16.

"Opening ticket sales for Milan marks an important milestone in Riyadh Air's expansion across Europe and strengthens the growing ties between Italy and Saudi Arabia," Riyadh Air Chief Executive Tony Douglas said.

"Milan is a globally recognized center for business, culture, fashion, and design, and this new service will provide convenient connectivity between the two countries while supporting increased tourism and commercial exchange," he added.

The airline said the route serves a recurring travel calendar between the two cities, citing Salone del Mobile Milano's first international edition in Riyadh ahead of dedicated 2026 exhibitions. It also pointed to leisure demand, with more than 322,000 Saudi tourists visiting Italy last year, according to the Italian Tourism Ministry.

Passengers on the Milan service will be able to connect via Riyadh to Bangkok, Islamabad, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, and Manila.

The Dreamliners feature Business Elite, Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins, Panasonic Avionics' Astrova in-flight entertainment system and mobile-first connectivity, the airline said.

Members of its Sfeer loyalty programme will receive a "Best Offer Guarantee", along with benefits including free onboard Wi-Fi and no points expiry, it added. Passengers are advised to check riyadhair.com for updated schedules.

Source: PR