Riyadh Air Doubles Down on Widebody Ambition With Potential 30-Jet Boeing 787 Expansion Before Farnborough
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Saudi Arabia’s newest flag carrier, Riyadh Air, is actively studying whether to convert the bulk of its existing Boeing 787 options into firm orders, with a decision expected to surface within days.
The signal was picked up by industry sources close to the negotiations, indicating that an announcement could arrive as early as next week’s Farnborough International Airshow. Discussions between the airline, Boeing, and Airbus remain fluid.
Between 25 and 30 additional 787-9 Dreamliners are on the table, alongside a parallel review of converting Airbus A350-1000 purchase rights into firm commitments.
Deal on the Table (as of July 13, 2026)
- Aircraft type: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
- Firm conversion range: 25 to 30 aircraft
- Origin: Options from 2023 baseline agreement
- Additional review: Airbus A350-1000 option conversions
- Expected venue: Farnborough International Airshow (starts July 20)Let’s analyze everything in detail.
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Understanding the Order Book Behind the Move
Riyadh Air’s original Boeing agreement dates to 2023, when the carrier committed to 39 Boeing 787-9s with contractual rights covering another 33 airframes. That structure was designed to give the airline flexibility as its network matured.
Exercising 25 to 30 of those options would push the firm 787 book to a range between 64 and 69 aircraft. As many as eight options would remain untouched, preserving room for further growth without a fresh negotiation cycle.
The Airbus side of the ledger tells