What happened
Delta Air Lines delayed Atlanta-Riyadh from October 23, 2026, to March 2027 after attacks on King Khalid International Airport killed 16 people and wounded over 300. Delta cited evolving regional developments and put safety for customers and employees ahead of the launch. The Airbus A350-900 flights were to run daily for a week then three times a week, and would have been the first U.S. carrier nonstop between the United States and Saudi Arabia.
Delta still aims for a March 2027 start and says Saudi Arabia remains a long-term plan, seeking a Riyadh Air partnership and Gulf connectivity that American and United already have. Reports said the flights were selling poorly before the security crisis. Several airlines have suspended Riyadh service after the airport reopened.
Atlanta-Riyadh cash fares and SkyMiles awards will not fly this fall, which leaves no new long-haul award or Riyadh Air connection until March 2027 at the earliest. Booked passengers can rebook or refund through My Trips on delta.com. Anyone already ticketed should open My Trips now and treat a March 2027 start as tentative.
- Announced
- Oct 12, 2026
- Numbers
- 16 people: killed in strikes on Riyadh Airport
- 300 people: wounded in strikes on Riyadh Airport
- Where
- Atlanta (ATL), Riyadh (RUH), King Khalid International Airport
- Who qualifies
- Passengers booked on the inaugural Atlanta–Riyadh flights or later departures before March 2027
- Links
- Announcement Delta announcement of the Riyadh delay news.delta.com
- Takeaway
- If you hold tickets on the delayed flights, use Delta’s My Trips tools now for a refund or rebooking, and treat any March 2027 launch as tentative.