Riyadh Air has launched the Hafawa Lounge, its first premium airport lounge at King Khalid International Airport, designed in collaboration with the internationally acclaimed multidisciplinary studio Yabu Pushelberg.

The guest experience at the Hafawa Lounge is an essential part of the airline’s innovative, scientifically-designed restorative sensory journey, carefully considered to help each guest reset, recharge and explore their destination, renewed.

Envisioned as far more than a place to pass time in, the lounge is an important stop on the Riyadh Air journey – defined by Hafawa, a deeply rooted Saudi cultural value defined by warmth and generosity - shaped by emotion and powered by advanced technology.

Located between Terminals 1 and 2, the Hafawa Lounge spans nearly 2,000 square meters and capable of comfortably welcoming approximately 370 Business Elite and Business Class guests. The opening of the Hafawa Lounge marks a defining moment in Riyadh Air’s preparations for commercial launch, placing design and innovation at the center of the guest encounter from the very first step.

“The Hafawa Lounge reflects our belief that design and technology play an important role in shaping the guest experience – elements which are part of every step of the guest’s journey with Riyadh Air,” said Mody Alkhalaf, Director of Guest Experience at Riyadh Air. “Working with Yabu Pushelberg allowed us to bring together the traditional warmth of Saudi hospitality with contemporary, future-forward design to offer a space that supports comfort, emotional wellbeing, and generosity throughout the journey. Representing the sense of ‘hafawa’ or hospitality, this is a special space that relaxes, refuels and reenergizes guests before their travel with Riyadh Air.”

Departing from the conventions of traditional airline lounges, the space was conceived as an immersive, residential-inspired setting – balancing a sense of monumentality with moments of intimacy. Inspired by the Saudi desert landscape, where earth meets sky, the interiors explore a series of intentional contrasts: grounded yet ethereal, tactile yet technologically advanced. A restrained palette of limestone, oak, and textured plaster establishes a calm, atmospheric backdrop that unfolds gradually as guests move through the lounge.

Light is integral to the lounge experience. A carefully orchestrated circadian system evolves throughout the day - warm at dawn, cooler through midday, and warm again at dusk - echoing the natural rhythms of desert light. Within this framework, nuanced accents of color - peach, lavender, and indigo – appear at key moments, subtly referencing Riyadh Air’s brand palette while enhancing orientation, comfort, and a sense of place.

Riyadh Air’s Hafawa Lounge Opens in Preparation for Commercial Operations