SEPANG – Kuala Lumpur became Riyadh Air’s first destination in Southeast Asia with the launch of its inaugural service between Riyadh and KL International Airport (KLIA) yesterday (31 July 2026), adding a new direct connection between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.
The inaugural flight was welcomed at KLIA Terminal 1 by His Excellency Mr. OsamahDakhel R. Al Ahmadi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Malaysia; Dato' Seri Jana Santhiran Muniayan, Secretary General, Ministry of Transport Malaysia; His Excellency Dato' Syed Mohamad Bakri Syed Abdul Rahman, Ambassador of Malaysia to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Mr. Chua Choon Hwa, Deputy Secretary General (Tourism) of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia; Dato' Mohd Izani Ghani, Managing Director of Malaysia Airports; and Mr. Vincent Coste, Chief Commercial Officer of Riyadh Air.
The three-times-weekly service further strengthens Malaysia’s connectivity with the Middle East and reflects the continued confidence of international carriers in Malaysia as a strategic gateway to Southeast Asia. Beyond facilitating tourism, stronger air links support trade, investment and closer bilateral ties, while creating greater choice for travellers between the two countries.
The route serves a diverse travel market spanning tourism, business, education, religious travel and visits between families and communities. As Riyadh Air expands its international network, it also creates the potential for broader connections between Southeast Asia and destinations beyond Riyadh.
Malaysia Airports Managing Director Dato’ Mohd Izani Ghani said Riyadh Air’s decision to make Kuala Lumpur its first Southeast Asian destination adds further depth to KLIA’s growing international network, “Kuala Lumpur provides Riyadh Air with access to the heart of Southeast Asia, while Riyadh is rapidly developing its position as an international aviation hub. As both networks grow, this route has the potential to connect travellers to a much wider range of destinations through our respective gateways
“Our focus is not simply on adding more airlines or destinations. It is about building a network that gives passengers greater choice, strengthens Malaysia’s links with key markets and creates long-term value for our airline partners.”
In the first half of 2026, KLIA welcomed 1.2 million passengers from the Middle East across nine routes served by eight Middle Eastern carriers. Riyadh Air is the ninth Middle Eastern airline to serve KLIA.
The new service also comes as Malaysia continues its tourism push through 2026 and into 2027. Stronger international connectivity will support this effort by providing travellers from Saudi Arabia with greater access to Malaysia, while giving Malaysian travellers another direct connection to Riyadh and potentially to destinations beyond as Riyadh Air’s network develops.