Riyadh Air is to launch four weekly flights from Riyadh to Milan Malpensa on 16 December.
Riyadh Air flies to 5 European destinations
Milan is the latest addition to Riyadh Air’s international network. The Saudi airline will launch its service to Malpensa on 16 December with a flight from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The route will be served by four weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, operated by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. Milan is the fifth European destination in the Saudi carrier’s network, following its commercial launch on 10 June with the first flight to London Heathrow, followed by Málaga on 14 July, Madrid on 17 July and Manchester on 17 September. The flight schedule sees the aircraft taking off from Riyadh at 02:45 and arriving at Malpensa at 07:05; the return flight from Milan is scheduled to depart at 09:55 and arrive in the Saudi capital at 17:15. Tickets for the new route are already on sale through all Riyadh Air distribution channels.
"We offer...a unique and fully digital experience"
“The launch of sales for Milan marks our official debut in Italy, a market of paramount importance to us. Milan embodies global excellence in design, business and tourism, perfectly in line with Riyadh Air’s vision. We look forward to welcoming Italian travellers on board our aircraft to offer them a unique and fully digital experience, whilst supporting the ambitious goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030,” said Tony Douglas, CEO Riyadh Air.
Over 322,000 Saudis visited Italy in 2024
The new route strengthens the dynamic bilateral relationship between Italy and Saudi Arabia, founded on trade, fashion, luxury and rapidly expanding tourism. As a testament to this bond, the Salone del Mobile in Milan will hold its first-ever international edition in Riyadh, attracting a high-profile clientele. Furthermore, tourist demand between Italy and Saudi Arabia is currently booming, with over 322,000 Saudi tourists recorded as having visited Italy in 2024 according to the Italian Ministry of Tourism, whilst Saudi Arabia is attracting growing interest from Italian travellers seeking new cultural, historical and leisure experiences. As well as facilitating point-to-point travel, the route positions Riyadh as a leading transport hub. Passengers travelling on the Milan route will benefit from convenient connections via Riyadh to Bangkok, Islamabad, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur and Manila, enjoying greater flexibility and seamless connectivity to Asia and within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
