In late 2025, Delta revealed its intentions to commence nonstop flights between Atlanta (ATL) and Riyadh (RUH), with Delta CEO Ed Bastian recently stating that Saudi Arabia is among his favorite destinations he has visited in quite some time. The airline is collaborating with Riyadh Air; however, it is clear that the company is pursuing subsidies, as Saudi Arabia compensates airlines for operating flights to Riyadh.
A few weeks ago, I raised the question of whether Delta would actually initiate this service in a few months, since indications suggested these flights would likely be sparsely filled, with virtually no reservations. This makes it noteworthy that Delta is finally attempting to encourage travelers to book this flight, offering some remarkable SkyMiles promotions… if you are open to flying economy.
Seeking an affordable ticket to Atlanta? Reserve a flight to Riyadh!
Delta has issued a press release touting the appeal of Saudi Arabia, along with promoting a SkyMiles award sale for flights to Riyadh. Recently, it has become common to see Delta offering SkyMiles award sales, but this appears to be among the most competitively priced ones we’ve encountered.
For instance, Delta is asking for only 15,000 SkyMiles for a one-way ticket from New York to Riyadh via Atlanta. If you possess a co-branded SkyMiles credit card, you receive an extra 15% discount, reducing the fare to 12,700 miles.
Here’s the amusing part — should you decide to redeem miles for the same journey from New York to Atlanta, the cost would be almost double compared to flying directly to Saudi Arabia.
I’m not advocating for hidden city ticketing due to the possible repercussions (and remember, you need a visa for Saudi Arabia), but I share this primarily for illustrative reasons. It’s often observed that a ticket may be cheaper when connecting compared to a nonstop flight, but usually, the segment you’re “discarding” isn’t a 13+ hour journey.
Interestingly, despite nearly vacant cabins, Delta One remains unavailable for SkyMiles redemption on most dates, indicating Delta’s hope to continue generating revenue in the front cabin.
I’m eager to see how this service develops…
As I’ve mentioned earlier, I’m very interested to monitor how this service unfolds:
– I’m convinced that this route will experience very low load factors for a considerable time, as it takes a while to cultivate demand like this
– Saudi Arabia is mainly covering the expenses for the new service, although I’m uncertain to what degree; can Delta operate flights mostly empty and still break even, or how substantial are the incentives?
– I recognize the long-term strategic aim of channeling passengers throughout the region in collaboration with Riyadh Air, but Riyadh Air will also require time to expand its network; for that matter, I know many Delta travelers enjoy their drinks, so I’m curious about their willingness to connect through Riyadh when heading elsewhere, even though Riyadh Air offers excellent inflight service
I believe Delta will proceed with launching this service by late October, primarily to maintain a good relationship with the country and its partner Riyadh Air, if nothing else. However, it’s uncertain how everything will unfold in the long term…
Bottom line
A few weeks back, I discussed how Delta’s forthcoming flights from Atlanta to Riyadh appeared to be virtually empty, leading up to the late October launch. Delta has now introduced a SkyMiles award sale for the new route, featuring some of the most appealing prices we’ve witnessed.
You can travel one-way to Saudi Arabia for as little as 12,700 SkyMiles with a co-branded credit card. If you are starting from New York, you’ll spend about half as much flying from New York to Atlanta to Riyadh compared to a direct flight to Atlanta.
It’s not unexpected to see Delta enticing travelers to consider this flight at any expense, though I’m curious about how long the airline can maintain such low loads.
What are your thoughts on this SkyMiles award sale to Riyadh?