Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier, today announced the launch of its cargo operations under the brand “Riyadh Cargo”, marking the airline’s entry into the global air cargo market and activation of belly-hold cargo operations across its wide-body fleet.

Riyadh Cargo’s strategy includes the utilization of capacity on Riyadh Air’s over 120 on-order wide-body aircraft, which we will use to move goods efficiently and reliably, connecting global markets.

The launch of the brand reflects a deliberate, phased approach to building a scalable and integrated cargo business, anchored at the airline’s Riyadh hub, and designed to grow in step with network expansion and operational maturity.

Since recently commencing operations as part of the airline’s wider Pathway to Perfect process, Riyadh Cargo has demonstrated remarkable operational momentum on the Riyadh to London Heathrow route, successfully transporting substantial cargo volumes across a wide spectrum of commodities. These include garments and textiles, fresh flowers, seafood, tea, and coffee, highlighting the operation’s consistent and reliable ability to handle time-sensitive, perishable, and high-value shipments.

“Riyadh Cargo has been built with a clear focus on operational discipline, reliability, and long-term scalability,” stated Pravin Singh, Global Head of Cargo at Riyadh Air. “Launching within a live environment allows us to test, learn, and continuously refine how we operate, while delivering real value to our customers from the get-go. The launch of the brand is a foundational step in building a cargo business that grows alongside our network expansion and supports Saudi Arabia’s broader logistics ambitions.”

Digital capability remains central to Riyadh Air’s core values, and Riyadh Cargo has ensured the integration of dedicated cargo management systems, centralized airwaybill control, and enhanced data visibility to improve transparency, accelerate decision‑making, and maintain consistently high service levels. In addition, centralized functionality, such as the management of airwaybill stock with round‑the‑clock access, provides a critical operational advantage.

In line with its digital-native origins, Riyadh Cargo has partnered with CHAMPS’s Cargo spot-neo, a next-gen cargo end-to-end platform. The digital management system enables greater operational control, enhanced data visibility, and more responsive decision-making, supporting service reliability as volumes and network complexity expand.

Additionally, cargo operations are further supported by a strategic investment aligned with best-in-class digitally tracked unit load devices (ULDs). Riyadh Air works closely with Unilode to manage and digitally track lightweight, durable ULDs. These assets improve visibility, enable real-time monitoring, and stock optimization, and support more efficient and sustainable cargo movements, particularly during irregular operations.

On the ground, cargo handling and hub management are delivered in partnership with SATS Saudi Arabia Company. Services are provided at key airports across the Kingdom, including King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh, King Fahd International Airport (KFIA) in Dammam, and King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah. These locations are supported by modern facilities, specialized handling zones and centralized hub management, enabling real-time oversight and smooth cargo connections. Riyadh Cargo will further benefit from dedicated facilities and enhanced capabilities designed to elevate the overall customer experience.

As Riyadh Air advances its ambitious growth plans with its existing fleet size of more than 180 aircraft and a network expected to reach over 100 destinations by 2030 the airline is expected to contribute approximately USD 20 billion to Saudi Arabia’s non-oil GDP and support more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs globally. Riyadh Cargo is positioned as a key enabler of this growth, reinforcing the Kingdom’s ambition to become a leading global aviation and logistics hub.

Riyadh Air Launches “Riyadh Cargo” as a Core Pillar of its Commercial Operations, the first step in positioning the city as a strategic global logistics hub