The British airline has teamed up with the planned second flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, based in Riyadh that will be at King Khalid International Airport and the two companies have signed a Strategic Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding to introduce a number of benefits to those travelling from London.

Shai Weiss, Chief Executive Officer at Virgin Atlantic, said: “Following on from the announcement of our new services from London to Riyadh, we’re committed to working with the best partners in the region, to ensure our first route to Saudi Arabia delivers choice to our customers. We’re looking forward to working closely with Riyadh Air as they embark on their journey into the skies.”

The partnership will open new destinations in Saudi Arabia and beyond for Virgin Atlantic customers, which includes its new service between London Heathrow and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

Tony Douglas, Riyadh Air CEO said:“Our partnership with Virgin Atlantic will help us collectively provide additional connectivity to the Kingdom. Riyadh Air has signed agreements with a number of strong global partners around the world, most recently Delta Air Lines, and Virgin Atlantic’s network will assist our growth to and from Saudi Arabia as we enter service in summer 2025.”