Delta Air Lines will launch its anticipated direct service to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from Atlanta next fall, CEO Ed Bastian announced Friday.
The company also plans to re-launch flights from Atlanta to Tel Aviv, Israel this spring, he said.
“The first U.S. airline to go direct, connecting our country to Saudi Arabia,” he said at an Atlanta Regional Commission event. “It’s going to be fascinating.”
Saudi Arabia has been in Delta’s sights in recent years. In 2024 the Atlanta-based airline signed an exclusive partnership agreement with Riyadh Air, a Saudi Arabian airline startup created by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Delta said at that time the new partnership — which includes loyalty programs and services like maintenance and ground handling — comes as investments in Saudi Arabia are “transforming it into a popular and attractive destination for both leisure and business travelers.”
Riyadh Air is set to begin flying this weekend.
Saudi Arabia is investing $800 billion in its tourism sector including developing luxury resorts on the Red Sea.
It is also one of the U.S.’s largest trading partners in the Middle East, according to the State Department.
The State Department does has a travel advisory in place for Americans traveling to certain areas of Saudi Arabia, warning them to “exercise increased caution in Saudi Arabia due to the threat of missile and drone attacks from Yemen and terrorism.”
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