SINGAPORE— One of the World’s best carriers, Singapore Airlines (SQ), has postponed the relaunch of its Riyadh (RUH) service by three months, pushing the start date from 2nd June 2026 to 1st September 2026. The delay is attributed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East region.
The airline had previously restricted Riyadh bookings to only the most expensive fare classes through August 2026, signaling a likely September start. That plan is now officially confirmed and is reported by Mainly Miles.
Singapore Airlines Delays Riyadh Launch
Singapore Airlines (SQ) originally announced the return of its Riyadh flights in February 2026, marking its first service to the Saudi capital in 12 years.
The route was set to launch on 2nd June 2026 from Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) to King Khalid International Airport (RUH), but the Middle East conflict has forced a delay.
The operational plan for the route remains unchanged. SQ will operate four-times weekly non-stop flights using the Airbus A350 Medium Haul, configured with 40 Business Class seats and 263 Economy Class seats.
Flights will operate as SQ498 (Singapore to Riyadh) and SQ499 (Riyadh to Singapore).
Revised Schedule (1 Sep 2026 – 24 Oct 2026)
- SQ498: Departs Singapore (SIN) at 18:20, arrives Riyadh (RUH) at 21:45 (Duration: 8h 25m)
- SQ499: Departs Riyadh (RUH) at 23:00, arrives Singapore (SIN) at 12:15 the next day (Duration: 8h 15m)
From 25th October 2026, timings shift slightly for the winter season, with departures from Singapore (SIN) at 17:40 and from Riyadh (RUH) at 22:50. The four-day weekly schedule continues year-round through to March 2027.
Impact on Dubai Service and Middle East Operations
The Riyadh delay is not an isolated decision. Singapore Airlines (SQ) has also extended the suspension of its Dubai route until at least 1st June 2026, while downgrading the aircraft from an Airbus A380 to a Boeing 777-300ER for the summer season.
Both decisions reflect the same geopolitical concerns affecting the carrier’s Middle East network.
Effectively, SQ’s Middle East operations are on hold for now, though the airline continues to retain both the Dubai and Riyadh routes in its longer-term network plans.
KrisFlyer Award Availability and Redemption Rates
Passengers redeeming KrisFlyer miles for the Riyadh route will find that award availability remains generous from the revised 1st September 2026 start date.
Searches for four passengers in Business Class show four immediately confirmable Saver award seats loaded on most flights.
All June through August flights have been removed from the booking system, including KrisFlyer award inventory.
Passengers who had already redeemed miles or purchased cash tickets for travel during this period can expect rebooking or refund options from the airline.
One-way KrisFlyer redemption rates for the Singapore (SIN) to Riyadh (RUH) route (Zone 10) are as follows:
Economy Class
- Saver: 32,000 miles
- Advantage: 66,500 miles
- Access: 95,500 miles
Business Class
- Saver: 68,000 miles
- Advantage: 122,000 miles
- Access: 157,500 to 251,500 miles
Taxes and fees amount to S$68 in the Singapore-to-Riyadh direction and approximately S$58 (SAR 173) on the return. Notably, Singapore Airlines (SQ) offers the only KrisFlyer award option within its group to and from Saudi Arabia, as Scoot excludes its Jeddah service from redemptions.
SAF Levy Update
Singapore’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) levy timeline has also been revised. The levy will now apply to redemptions made on or after 1st October 2026, for travel on or after 1st January 2027, six months later than originally planned.
This adds S$25.60 in Business Class and S$6.40 in Economy Class for the Singapore (SIN) to Riyadh (RUH) direction.
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