Riyadh Air Reveals Cabin and Seat Design for Its Boeing 787 Dreamliner Aircraft

Saudi Arabia’s newest airline is almost ready for takeoff, and we now have our first look inside.

Riyadh Air, set to launch in mid-2025, just revealed the interiors of its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, and they look every bit the part of a premium, digitally driven airline built for the modern traveler. With a bold design identity, high-tech features, and a promise of “authentic, modern, and warm” Saudi hospitality, Riyadh Air is making a clear statement: It’s here to compete with the big dogs.

Let’s take a look at what passengers can expect across all 3 cabins.

A Quick Overview of Riyadh Air’s Cabin Experience

Riyadh Air is going for a high-style, high-tech approach across the board. The airline is positioning itself as a digitally native full-service carrier, with cabin interiors designed by U.K.-based Factorydesign and delivered by seat manufacturer Safran.

Regardless of which cabin they’re in, travelers can expect standard features like these:

• Large 4K screens with Bluetooth pairing
• Wireless charging at every seat
• Mood lighting and custom scent branding
• A “digital-first” experience, from booking through time on board to arrival at the destination

The airline’s CEO, Tony Douglas, says the airline isn’t just aiming to catch up. Instead, it wants to “leapfrog” the competition. And based on these early reveals, Riyadh Air might just pull it off.

Cabins and Design Features on Riyadh Air’s Boeing 787

Riyadh Air revealed cabin details today, highlighting features passengers will find on its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Here’s what you can experience in each cabin.

Business Elite: The Best of the Best

Spread across 4 seats in the first row of the plane, these seats from Safran Unity Elite feature a 1-2-1 layout and seats in the middle section that join together for an ultimate couple’s experience.

These seats will likely cost more than other seats in business class, and they offer an entertainment screen that’s a full 10 inches bigger. However, the seat dimensions aren’t any larger than those in the rest of the cabin.

These seats are 22.5 inches wide, have 45 inches of pitch, and lie flat to 78 inches of length. Seats include a 32-inch 4K OLED screen and 52-inch walls for privacy.

Business Class: Closed Suites With Cutting-Edge Features

Riyadh Air’s business class features fully enclosed suites in a 1-2-1 configuration, offering direct aisle access for every passenger across 6 rows for a total of 24 seats. Seats have the same width and length as those in Business Elite.

Highlights of this cabin include:

• Suite doors for full privacy (52 inches high)
• Lie-flat beds (78 inches)
• Wireless charging and NFC pairing
• Large 4K screen (22 inches) with Bluetooth audio
• Touchless suite controls
• Safran Unity seats

In terms of design, there’s a mix of rich textures and calming hues that align with the airline’s “twilight” and “dawn” brand color schemes. While the product looks similar to business class suites on other airlines, the execution is well done and doesn’t feel like a copycat.

Premium Economy: A Spacious Middle Ground

Riyadh Air’s premium economy cabin has a 2-3-2 configuration with wide recliner seats, footrests, and personal space that clearly goes beyond standard economy.

This cabin features 39 Recaro PL3530 seats across 6 rows in a 2-3-2 layout.

Key features in this cabin include:

• Generous seat width at 19.2 inches
• 38 inches of pitch
• Large high-resolution screen (15.6 inches)
• Bluetooth audio and wireless charging
• Dedicated storage spaces

This cabin aims to strike a balance between comfort and affordability. It should be ideal for regional routes or travelers looking for more space than economy offers, without paying the cost of business class.

Economy Class: Elevated Comfort for the Masses

Riyadh Air’s economy cabin sticks to the Dreamliner-standard 3-3-3 layout but promises elevated features for all passengers. This cabin features 223 Recaro R3 seats across 25 rows.

Travelers in this cabin can expect:

• High-definition screens (13.4 inches) with Bluetooth
• 17.2 inches of seat width and 31 inches of pitch
• USB-A and USB-C charging ports
• Comfortable ergonomic seating
• Subtle lighting and fresh, modern finishes

While the layout won’t surprise frequent flyers, the focus on tech and passenger experience will set it apart from more bare-bones offerings on other airlines Riyadh Air plans to compete with.

Final Thoughts

Riyadh Air’s cabin reveal shows a strong first step for an airline that’s not even flying yet. With privacy-forward business class suites, a thoughtfully designed premium economy cabin, and a tech-loaded economy class, it’s clear the airline is positioning itself as a serious player — especially for long-haul and connecting traffic through Saudi Arabia.

Add in a digital-first passenger experience and a great attention to detail, and Riyadh Air may end up being more than just another start-up carrier. If it can deliver on these promises, it might just leapfrog more than a few of its rivals. We’ll find out once it actually starts flying.