Two more Middle East-based airlines are planning flights to the U.S. starting next year, although without definite dates yet. One is a new carrier, while the other goes back 75 years but last flew to the U.S. in 1997.
Riyadh Air, the new state-owned Saudi carrier announced in 2023, expects its operating certificate from Saudi Arabia, and will then start flights to Europe, with planes returning to Riyadh then continuing on to drop passengers at regional destinations or cities in India. Routes to the U.S. would follow later. Riyadh Air is framing itself as an elite competitor for the highly successful likes of Emirates and Qatar.
The other carrier, Gulf Air, has roots that predate those giants; when founded in 1949, it was owned by Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Since 2007, it has been solely owned by Bahrain. Its new CEO, Jeffrey Goh, says the airline is doing major upgrades of its cabins and service in preparation for its return to trans-Atlantic and other long-haul routes. Its fleet at present is small—32 A320s and 8 787s. Goh said timing on flights to the U.S. depends on meeting FAA and TSA requirements which it is working on.
