Riyadh Air’s new Boeing 787-9s start flying the paying public on June 10 with London Heathrow as the marquee route. The carrier has also confirmed five more launches: Jeddah (June 14), Dubai (June 18), Cairo (June 25), Madrid (July 17), and Manchester later in the summer.
That gives you roughly 48 hours from today to pounce on introductory business class fares before the pricing gods remember that demand exists. Current round-trip RUH-LHR business rates start around 18,500 SAR (~$4,930 USD) in the Smart/Flex bundles. One-way business paired with economy on the return can dip to ~$2,800. Business Elite — the front-row suites with double beds — adds roughly another $266.[[1]](https://onemileatatime.com/news/riyadh-air-tickets-sale-launch/)[[1]](https://onemileatatime.com/news/riyadh-air-tickets-sale-launch/)
Compare that to established Gulf carriers on similar long-haul sectors. Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad routinely charge $5,500–$7,500+ for comparable business class from the UK or Europe into the Gulf, especially when you factor in their stronger networks and lounge access. Riyadh Air’s introductory cash pricing undercuts them while promising a fresh product: 1-2-1 Safran Unity seats with 78-inch beds, 52-inch privacy walls, and 22–32 inch 4K OLED screens. Even their Premium Economy (38-inch pitch, 19.2-inch width, massive IFE) is already drawing side-by-side compliments with legacy business class on older metal.[[2]](https://www.riyadhair.com/en/media-hub/rx-cabin-reveal)
The airline has soft-launched London flights since late 2025 on a leased “Jamila” aircraft without the full bells and whistles. June 10 marks the real debut with factory-fresh 787s and the four-class cabin everyone’s been waiting for. Early flights are still lightly loaded — perfect for anyone who likes empty adjacent seats and crew that isn’t yet jaded.
Sfeer, their new loyalty program, is live but still in founding-member honeymoon mode. No reciprocal earning or redemption with Aeroplan, American AAdvantage, or other major programs has been announced for launch flights. Partnerships exist on paper with Delta, Virgin Atlantic, and a handful of SkyTeam names, but actual mileage earning and elite recognition remain “coming soon.” Same story for transferable points: Amex, Chase, and Citi have zero announced or reliably rumored transfer deals with Sfeer. Don’t hold your breath for 2026.[[3]](https://www.riyadhair.com/en/sfeer)[[4]](https://awardwallet.com/airlines/riyadh-air-sfeer/)
That leaves two immediate plays. Book cash while the introductory fares last — especially the mixed-class hack on London. Or fly the early sectors anyway, rack up Sfeer points as a founding member, and position yourself for whatever reciprocal deal eventually drops with Virgin or Delta. The product looks strong enough that status chasers should want to be in early.
Premium Economy on these inaugural 787s is legitimately competitive with business on plenty of European legacy carriers. At current pricing it’s almost irresponsible not to try at least one leg. The risk is low; the upside is a genuinely new ultra-premium experience before the rest of the world discovers it and the fares normalize.
Book the June 10 London flight — or one of the immediate follow-on routes — in the next couple of days. Introductory pricing and light loads won’t last. The window for cheap business class on a shiny new Gulf carrier is measured in hours, not weeks.
