Delta Air Lines announced this week that it has a new destination on its world map, making the Middle Eastern country much easier to access.
Starting in October 2026, Delta Air Lines will begin nonstop flights between its major hubs, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This will be the first time a U.S. airline will fly directly to Saudi Arabia.
“Delta’s new direct flight will be an important milestone in strengthening global connections between our countries and will open new doors for tourism and cultural exchanges,” said His Excellency Ahmed Al Khatib, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in a press release.
The flight will be operated three times a week on Delta’s Airbus A350-900 and features four classes of service: Delta One (flat seats and chef-curated menus), Delta Premium Select (wide seats and deep recline), Delta Comfort (extended legroom) and Delta Main Cabin.
Why Saudi Arabia and why now?
“Delta already has a codeshare with Saudia, Saudi Arabia’s perfect flag carrier, but it will introduce its own direct service to Riyadh,” said Laura Dannen Redman, editor of Afar magazine, who has previously covered the destination. “This shows that we are optimistic about travel to the region in 2026 and beyond, as we anticipate American travelers will want to visit Saudi Arabia next year, and we want to offer them an airline they are familiar with.” Take the perhaps nerve-wracking first step. ”
Riyadh is also a strategic gateway for Delta Air Lines. It is a central hub for connecting destinations across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, as well as a rapidly transforming business and tourism hub.
This transformation is at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to diversify the country’s economy and boost tourism. The kingdom, long known as one of the world’s most insular destinations, began issuing tourist visas in 2019 and has since invested heavily in cultural projects and luxury developments, including the Red Sea resort area and the desert city of AlUla.
Dannen Redman added that the direct flight will reduce connection time by more than five hours compared to the travel time required to connect via Dubai, United Arab Emirates or Doha, Qatar. It also supports travel to the Red Sea, where a number of five-star hotels have opened (Miraval just announced its first international property on the Red Sea, and in 2025 alone Edition Hotels, InterContinental, Raffles and more have opened new Red Sea outposts), but there are few ways to get there.
“When I went there in 2024, I flew to Doha, connected to AlUla, then took a five-hour drive and one-hour boat ride to get close to my hotel or resort,” Dannen Redman says.
Richard Krieger, director of Michigan-based travel company Sky Vacations, told Afar that his company has seen a “significant increase in inquiries and bookings to Saudi Arabia” over the past two years, adding that customers are already requesting details about new flight routes and travel possibilities.
“Delta’s new flight linking the U.S. directly to Riyadh will make visiting Saudi Arabia easier and more accessible, helping define the next chapter of Saudi tourism,” Krieger said.
Riyadh may be best known as the business and political capital of Saudi Arabia, but it is secretly becoming one of the most interesting cities to explore in the Middle East. Visitors start in Diriyah, the UNESCO-recognized founding city of Saudi Arabia. Here, traditional adobe buildings and narrow alleys have been carefully restored and reopened as restaurants, cafes and museums. The National Museum in the city center offers a thorough introduction to Saudi history, while the Souk Al Zar, filled with carpets, incense and antiques, allows visitors to immerse themselves in the sensory hustle and bustle of a traditional Arabian market. For a break from the hustle and bustle, locals head to Edge of the World, a dramatic cliff that drops into the endless desert, about an hour’s drive from downtown.
Like the Red Sea, Wadi Safar in the Riyadh suburb of Diriyah is poised to become an oasis for luxury resorts. New hotels such as Six Senses, Aman, Faena, Montage and Oberoi will soon open in this area. Opening in October 2026, Wadi Safar, a 60-villa Oberoi, will be the first property to open in this newly conceived enclave. It features a signature Indian restaurant created by celebrity chef Rohit Ghai, a spa with hammam, and an infinity pool. Wadi Safar will also include an equestrian center, polo club, wellness resort and cultural facilities.
For travelers, Delta Air Lines’ new flight route provides a more direct bridge to one of the world’s most talked-about destinations in recent years, both for its cultural renaissance, its controversy and its complexity. While Riyadh boasts a growing contemporary art scene, a collection of new design-forward hotels, and access to a striking desert landscape, Saudi Arabia’s restrictive social laws and human rights record continue to come under scrutiny.
“(Visiting Saudi Arabia) was a personal decision that I also grappled with (recently),” Dannen Redman said. “I believe in cultural diplomacy, and I believe that a country’s citizens and politicians are not the same. I encourage travelers to spend their money wisely at local businesses and (local) travel agencies whenever possible.”
