Is Delta Really Going To Fly Empty Planes To Saudi Arabia?

July 21, 2026

In late 2025, Delta announced plans to launch nonstop flights between Atlanta (ATL) and Riyadh (RUH), with Delta CEO Ed Bastian recently claiming that Saudi Arabia is one of his favorite places that he has been in a very long time. The airline is partnering with Riyadh Air, but beyond that, the company is obviously chasing subsidies, given that Saudi Arabia is paying airlines to fly to Riyadh.

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Is Delta Really Going To Fly Empty Planes To Saudi Arabia?

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