Paris & Riyadh: Riyadh Air, the new national carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, today signed a deal at the 55th Edition of Paris Air Show at Le Bourget with Rolls-Royce for 50 Trent XWB-97 engines to power its fleet of 50 Airbus A350-1000 an order that was announced yesterday. The agreement was signed by Adam Boukadida, Chief Financial Officer of Riyadh Air and Rob Watson, President of Civil Aerospace at Rolls-Royce in the presence of Tony Douglas, Riyadh Air’s Chief Executive Officer, and Tufan Erginbilgic, Rolls-Royce Chief Executive Officer.
At the same time, a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed for Rolls-Royce’s comprehensive TotalCare service that will cover the health and maintenance of the engines. The Trent XWB-97 engine is the world’s most efficient large aero-engine, specifically designed for the Airbus A350-1000 and will help fulfil Riyadh Air’s ambitions to fly to over 100 global destinations by 2030. The airline, whose fleet orders now total up to 182 aircraft across three fleet types, is set to commence operations later in 2025.
The A350-1000 aircraft to be powered by the Trent XWB-97 engines, will help grow Riyadh Air’s network to the furthest corners of the globe, adding range and capacity that will ensure that Riyadh, a G20 capital city, will be fully connected to the world, realizing the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. Having secured its Air Operators Certificate (AOC) earlier in 2025, Riyadh Air is making considerable progress as it moves closer to its maiden flight later this year.
Riyadh Air CFO, Adam Boukadida said: “The growth of Riyadh Air is of critical importance to the development of Saudi Arabia as an aviation hub, and selecting world-class companies like Rolls-Royce to power our future Airbus large wide-body fleet ensures we have the right partners in place to achieve our ambitions. This deal for 50 Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines to power our fleet of Airbus A350-1000 aircraft is hugely significant as it brings us closer to realizing our long-term vision of enhanced connectivity for Riyadh. Our goal is to deliver an unrivalled guest experience, linked to a world-class network and provide our guests with unlimited options to fly direct to major global cities.”
Rob Watson, President, Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, said: “We’re looking forward to supporting the significant growth ambitions of Riyadh Air in its launch year. The Trent XWB-97 is an incredible engine and our TotalCare package will provide operational certainty across the fleet. The engine will benefit from the £1bn investment we’re making to the Trent engine family that improves their durability and efficiency across all operations. We look forward to supporting these new aircraft as they enter service.”
This collaboration underscores Riyadh Air’s dedication to innovation, comfort, and world-class service, enhancing every aspect of the travel experience for its guests. Riyadh Air continues to redefine premium travel, driven by a mission to connect the world to Saudi Arabia’s hospitality and vision for the future.
About Riyadh Air
Riyadh Air, a PIF company, is a world-class airline. Launched in March 2023, the airline will be a digitally led, full-service airline that adopts the best global sustainability and safety practices across its advanced fleet of aircraft. Riyadh Air will equip its aircraft with the most advanced, state-of-the-art features with innovative, best-in-class cabin interiors and experiences, including next generation digital in-flight entertainment systems and connectivity solutions. Riyadh Air will connect guests to over 100 destinations around the world by 2030 through offering an exceptional guest experience with an authentic, warm Saudi hospitality at its heart.