EgyptAir has received its first Airbus A350-900, marking a major milestone in the airline’s fleet modernization program. The new aircraft, registered as SU-GGE, completed its four-hour delivery flight from Toulouse and touched down in Cairo just before 4 p.m. local time. After a technical inspection by EgyptAir’s maintenance team, the jet will begin service on routes to London and Paris for crew training and familiarization.

This arrival signals the start of EgyptAir’s next phase of long-haul expansion. The state-owned carrier plans to deploy the A350 on new routes to North America later this year as it continues to align with the country’s fast-growing tourism industry. The airline’s growth dovetails with a $4.5 billion upgrade program at Cairo International Airport — a key part of Egypt’s broader vision to transform itself into a global travel hub.

New Aircraft for a New Era

EgyptAir first announced an order for 10 A350-900s at the 2023 Dubai Airshow, selecting the type to anchor its North American growth plans. Airbus later confirmed that the airline increased its total order to 16 aircraft. Deliveries will be split into two stages — up to six arriving this year, ten by the end of 2027, and the remaining six from 2030 onward.

The A350s will gradually replace EgyptAir’s Boeing 777-300ERs, which currently serve most of its North American destinations. These include:

• New York (JFK): Daily with Boeing 777-300ERs

• Newark (EWR): Three times weekly with Boeing 787-9s, increasing to daily in 2027

• Washington Dulles (IAD): Twice weekly using 777s and 787s, expanding to daily by 2027

• Toronto (YYZ): Five times weekly with 777-300ERs

Speaking at the 2025 Paris Air Show, EgyptAir CEO Captain Ahmed Adel said this year’s focus will be on integrating the new A350s and phasing out the older 777s starting in November. The airline will then shift its attention to launching new destinations, with Los Angeles (LAX) at the top of the list.

“The first seven A350s will work alongside our 787s on the long-haul network,” Adel explained. “Once we have around eight in service, we’ll start opening new routes — Los Angeles is one we’re really excited about because the numbers are very promising.”

According to OAG data, around 73,000 people traveled between Cairo and Los Angeles in 2025, making it Cairo’s largest unserved route in North America.

Reinventing the Long-Haul Fleet

The A350 is a key element in EgyptAir’s plan to build a younger, more efficient widebody fleet. As of February 2026, the airline’s long-haul aircraft lineup includes:

With room for 350 passengers in a two-class layout, the A350 is well-suited to replace the aging 777-300ERs and to operate new long-range routes such as Cairo–Los Angeles. Some of EgyptAir’s older A330s are also being converted into freighters as the airline expands its cargo operations.

Egypt’s Ministry of Civil Aviation aims to grow the national carrier’s fleet to 125 aircraft by 2030. With 16 A350s and 18 Boeing 737 MAX 8s already on order, EgyptAir is expected to reach nearly 100 aircraft within the decade, with additional widebody orders likely to follow.

Growth Tied to Tourism and Infrastructure

EgyptAir’s expansion mirrors the country’s tourism boom. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reported that Egypt hosted 19 million visitors in 2025 — a 21% increase from the year before. Captain Adel noted that the airline’s performance closely follows tourism trends:

“When tourism grows, we grow with it,” he said. “The government’s ambitious tourism plans have a direct positive impact on our operations.”

Still, Cairo International Airport faces capacity challenges. Designed to handle 20 million passengers annually, it now manages more than 30 million. To address this, the government has approved a major $4.5 billion expansion project that will reshape the airport by 2030.

The plan includes the construction of a new Terminal 4 capable of handling 30 million passengers at launch — expandable to 40 million — along with a new runway and upgraded cargo facilities supporting up to one million tons per year.

Together, EgyptAir’s modern fleet and Cairo Airport’s expansion underscore Egypt’s ambitions to become Africa’s leading aviation gateway and a major player in global air travel.

Riyadh Air and Saudia have announced the implementation of the first phase of their Strategic Cooperation Agreement, marking a major step in strengthening connectivity under Saudi Arabia’s National Aviation Strategy.

The partnership builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2023 and enables the two airlines to expand travel options for domestic and international passengers.

As part of the first phase, Riyadh Air has established a connection with Saudia’s Passenger Service System (PSS), allowing the carriers to implement their codeshare across their respective technology platforms.

Under the RX-SV codeshare, Riyadh Air will place its “RX” designator on selected Saudia-operated flights from Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport to six domestic destinations: Abha, Al Qassim, Dammam, Jeddah, Medina and Tabuk.

The agreement will give Riyadh Air passengers access to additional destinations worldwide through convenient connections in Riyadh. For example, travelers from Dammam can connect via Riyadh to Madrid on a single ticket, while passengers flying from Kuala Lumpur can connect through Riyadh to Medina.

By using Saudia’s frequent services between Riyadh and the six codeshare destinations, Riyadh Air will offer passengers more convenient connections aligned with the arrival and departure schedules of its flights at Riyadh.

Both airlines operate within the King Khalid International Airport Terminal 1-4 complex, enabling passengers to benefit from streamlined connections, single-ticket journeys and through-checked baggage to their final destinations.

The first phase represents a significant step toward deeper cooperation between Saudi Arabia’s two national carriers and supports the Kingdom’s broader ambitions to expand its global aviation network.

Source: aaco.org

SalamAir has announced the establishment of Salalah’s first-ever airline base, marking a major step in the airline’s expansion and strengthening direct international connectivity from Oman’s Dhofar Governorate.

The new Salalah-based operation will initially serve three international destinations: Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Chattogram in Bangladesh and Calicut in India. Bookings opened on August 26, with flights scheduled to begin from the end of October as part of SalamAir’s Winter 2026 schedule.

The base follows SalamAir’s expanded operations during the 2026 Khareef season, when the airline increased capacity on the Muscat-Salalah route to as many as 15 daily flights during peak periods.

The airline also introduced special domestic fares for Omani nationals, with one-way tickets starting from OMR 9.99, supporting affordable travel between Muscat and Salalah.

The new base is expected to extend SalamAir’s role beyond the Khareef season by supporting year-round travel demand among residents and expatriate communities in Dhofar while offering more direct access to key regional and international destinations.

Operations from Salalah will be supported by SalamAir’s Airbus A320neo and A321neo fleet. The airline currently operates 18 aircraft, providing additional flexibility to support growing demand across its network.

During the winter season, SalamAir will also operate charter flights linking Salalah with Astana and Almaty in Kazakhstan, supporting inbound tourism from Central Asia.

The Salalah base forms part of SalamAir’s wider strategy to expand its network from key airports across Oman, develop underserved markets and stimulate new travel demand while supporting the growth of the Sultanate’s aviation and tourism sectors.

Source: ZAWYA