Delta to start nonstop Atlanta-Riyadh service on 23 October

Delta Air Lines will launch nonstop service between Atlanta and Riyadh on 23 October 2026, opening its first direct link to Saudi Arabia and the first nonstop U.S.-Riyadh service operated by a U.S. airline. The route will use the Airbus A350-900 and begin with daily flights for the first week before moving to a three-times-weekly schedule.

The Atlanta hub gives Delta a new long-haul gateway into the Middle East, while Riyadh becomes a new destination in the carrier’s global network. The service is being positioned as part of Delta’s wider international expansion, with the airline linking one of its biggest hubs to a market that has seen growing business and investment ties with the U.S.

The A350-900 will operate the sector with Delta’s long-haul cabin layout, including premium and economy products. The new route also adds another ultra-long-haul pairing to Delta’s network from Atlanta, which remains the airline’s main connection point for international growth across Europe, Latin America and now Saudi Arabia.