Delta delays Atlanta-Riyadh launch to March 2027 after attack on Saudi airport

Delta Air Lines has postponed its planned Atlanta to Riyadh route and moved the start date to March 2027. The service had been scheduled to begin on Oct. 23 after months of preparation and a substantial marketing campaign.

The airline said the decision followed changing conditions in the region, and that the wellbeing of passengers and staff guides its operational choices. Delta said it remains in regular contact with government and aviation counterparts, including Saudia and Riyadh Air, as it tracks the situation.

Violence involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi movement escalated last week. On Saturday, the Houthis struck King Khalid International Airport, the Riyadh gateway Delta intended to serve. At least 13 people were killed and more than 300 injured in the attack, which hit a passenger terminal. It was the deadliest and most damaging of several missile strikes on the airport in recent days. The Houthis said the attacks came in response to Saudi air strikes on their territory.

Delta chief executive Ed Bastian said on CNBC on Friday that the carrier was weighing its options for the Atlanta-Riyadh route. He described Saudi Arabia as an important market for Delta and said the airline intends to serve the country over the long term.