In Pictures: Riyadh Air’s First Airbus A321neo In Bedouin-Inspired Pearl Livery

Published Nov 14, 2026, 1:22 PM EST Journalist – Aaron is an aviation and travel journalist with 14 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. His background spans airport operations, aviation infrastructure, and travel consulting, having worked with global organizations across New Zealand, Europe, and North America. Combining industry expertise with firsthand travel experience across more than 52 countries and five continents, Aaron covers airlines, airports, aviation policy, and the wider travel sector. He is based in Canterbury, New Zealand. His work has been published in Simple Flying and featured by MSN, SAM CHUI Aviation & Travel, EIN News, Pakistan Defence, and Climate Depot. The first of Riyadh Air's Airbus A321neos has rolled out of the paint shop, debuting the airline's signature pearlescent livery. This is the first of 91 Airbus aircraft for the Saudi carrier. It marks another important step in the airline's evolution and fleet expansion to build on the Kingdom's aviation ambitions. This latest milestone will build the mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft for Riyadh Air, supporting its domestic and international growth ambitions. The jet, which will eventually be registered as HZ-RXFA, emerged from the Airbus paint factory in Hamburg, Germany, on Friday and was shared on the airline's LinkedIn page. The First Of Many Airbus Aircraft Destined For Riyadh Air Credit: Riyadh Air The plane carries a modern-inspired livery from traditional Saudi heritage, which combines flowing lines that are influenced by traditional Bedouin tents. This includes elements that reflect Arabic calligraphy. On the exterior of the plane, there are shades of indigo and lavender, while to the rear of the plane, inspired patterns dress the fuselage. For the A321neo, it will now undergo a series of test flights in the coming weeks, before it is officially delivered to Riyadh Air. This jet will complement the existing Boeing 787 Dreamliners that are set to form the backbone of the airline's widebody expansion plans. For those interested in the inside cabin configuration and design of the Airbus jet, these are set to be formally debuted in the coming weeks. Simple Flying reached out to Riyadh Air for comment on its newest aircraft on Saturday; however, an airline spokesperson could not immediately be reached. New Plane Set For Test Flights Before Official Delivery Credit: Riyadh Air As already implied, the plane will now undergo a series of test flights under German Airbus test registration D-AZWL. The plane, which will then carry HZ-RXFA, should be delivered to the airline in the coming months. This Airbus A321neo is the first of 60 of the type to eventually be delivered to the new airline, which will revolutionize how passengers travel to and from the Saudi Kingdom. With ambitions for the airline to serve up to 100 destinations by the end of the decade, these narrowbody aircraft will support thinner, niche routes, or shorter international services, building on the long-haul expansion plans that the carrier is already exploring with its fleet of 787 aircraft. Riyadh Air is the second flag carrier for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It operates domestic and international flights and plans to serve 100 destinations in six continents relatively quickly. The airline took its first commercial flight in October 2025 and is owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). Riyadh Air Growth Plans And Fleet Details Credit: Riyadh Air Riyadh Air is not part of any major airline alliance. It has signed cooperation and codeshare agreements with airlines including: Airline Alliance Major Hub(s) Air China Star Alliance Beijing Capital (PEK), Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) Air France–KLM SkyTeam Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) Air Europa SkyTeam Madrid–Barajas (MAD) Air India Star Alliance Delhi (DEL), Mumbai (BOM) All Nippon Airways (ANA) Star Alliance Tokyo Haneda (HND), Tokyo Narita (NRT) China Eastern Airlines SkyTeam Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) Delta Air Lines SkyTeam Atlanta (ATL); Detroit (DTW), Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP), New York–JFK, Salt Lake City (SLC), Seattle (SEA) EgyptAir Star Alliance Cairo (CAI) Saudia SkyTeam Jeddah (JED), Riyadh (RUH) Singapore Airlines Star Alliance Singapore Changi (SIN) Turkish Airlines Star Alliance Istanbul (IST) Virgin Atlantic SkyTeam London Heathrow (LHR) The airline currently has just ten active Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with one leased from Oman Air and used as a technical spare and training aircraft. The airline has an order for more than 40 of the widebody jets, which will eventually be complemented by 31 Airbus A350-1000s. With the first of 60 Airbus A321neo set to begin deliveries to Riyadh Air very soon, these narrowbody aircraft will fly on short- and medium-haul routes of up to five hours in length, likely to other Gulf countries and to India, feeding passengers through Riyadh.