Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's new national carrier, will commence daily direct flights between Manila and Riyadh on September 9, adding a new nonstop connection between the Philippines and the Kingdom while further expanding its growing Asian network.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the airline announced that ticket sales for the new route have already opened ahead of the service launch.

The daily service will be operated using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, a wide-body, fuel-efficient twin-aisle jet commonly used on long-haul international routes.

Outbound flights will depart Riyadh at 1:05 a.m. local time and arrive at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila at 3:55 p.m. Return flights will depart NAIA at 5:25 p.m. and arrive at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh at 10:15 p.m., the airline said.

Riyadh Air described the Manila route as another milestone in the expansion of its Asian network, reflecting growing travel demand between Saudi Arabia and the Philippines driven by commercial partnerships, education, and leisure travel.

"The new daily service to Manila reflects the expanding relationship between Saudi Arabia and the Philippines," the airline stated.

The carrier added that the route is expected to support trade and cultural exchange while serving the large Filipino community residing in Saudi Arabia as well as international travelers. The Philippines is a significant source of overseas workers in the Kingdom, and the new direct link is anticipated to facilitate greater people-to-people ties. Saudi Arabia hosts one of the largest populations of overseas Filipino workers globally, with hundreds of thousands of Filipinos employed across the Kingdom's construction, healthcare, and services sectors.

The airline also said the new service will strengthen Riyadh's position as a hub for onward international connections across its expanding global network. Riyadh Air enters a competitive Gulf–Southeast Asia corridor already served by established carriers including Saudia, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad, which connect Manila to the Middle East and beyond through their respective hubs.

Riyadh Air, which was launched in 2023, is building out its international route map as part of Saudi Arabia's broader aviation and tourism development strategy, a key pillar of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 economic diversification initiative aimed at growing visitor numbers and positioning the country as a global transit destination. Under Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has set a target of attracting 150 million annual visitors by 2030, with aviation capacity expansion central to achieving that goal.

— Arjay L. Balinbin

Source: Bworldonline