Delta Delays First US-Saudi Nonstop Flights After Airport Attacks
Delta postpones its Atlanta-to-Riyadh route until March after deadly attacks closed Saudi Arabia's main airport.
Delta Air Lines has pushed back the launch of its new nonstop flight between Atlanta and Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, after deadly attacks hit the city's main airport.
The flight was supposed to begin on October 23 using a large Airbus A350-900 wide-body plane. It would have been the first-ever nonstop commercial flight (a direct flight with no stops in between) operated by a U.S. airline between the United States and Saudi Arabia. Now, the launch has been delayed until March.
Why the delay? A series of violent attacks. Yemen's Houthis — a group backed by Iran — claimed responsibility for strikes on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The situation got worse on Saturday when a projectile hit a passenger terminal, killing at least 12 people and wounding more than 300.
Here are the key facts:
- More than 2,000 flights have been canceled in and out of Riyadh's airport since Thursday
- The airport remains closed as of Monday
- The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration — the U.S. government agency that keeps flying safe) warned pilots to "exercise caution" near Saudi Arabia
- This warning stays in effect until December 10
- Countries like the U.S. and Australia advised citizens not to travel to the region
Despite the setback, Delta made clear it still sees Saudi Arabia as valuable. The airline said the Kingdom "remains an important market" and it is "committed to serving" the country for the long term.
In short: Travel disruption from the attacks forced Delta to put its ambitious new route on hold. For now, passengers hoping for a direct US-Saudi flight will have to wait until spring 2026, assuming the security situation improves.
This is an AI-generated summary. Read the original article at: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/12/delta-riyadh-nonstop-service-delay.html