Riyadh Air reveals new flagship business class lounge

Like pieces in a billion-dollar jigsaw puzzle, the imminent launch of Saudi Arabia’s state-owned Riyadh Air is taking shape.

We’ve seen the new business class suites and premium economy recliners, with the promise of first class to follow.

Partnerships are in place with Blacklane to provide a chauffeured ride for business class passengers, while local well-being brand Kayanee is producing amenity kits and pyjamas, which will be offered in premium economy as well as business class.

Now we have our first look at Riyadh Air’s flagship lounge at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport (RUH).

The Hafawa Lounge takes its name from an Arabic word embodying warmth and hospitality, and will welcome Riyadh Air’s business class passengers along with high-tier members of its Sfeer frequent flyer program.

Expect an elevated pre-flight experience at Riyadh Air's Hafawa Lounge.

Ready for take-off

Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas tells Executive Traveller the lounge is on track to open in time for the airline’s launch of flights to London on October 26.

The Hafawa Lounge “looks pretty spectacular and is of a standard that has not been seen before,” Douglas suggests.

The design is contemporary high-end rather than over-the-top luxe, with a refined material palette embracing limestone, oak, bronze detailing, and textured plaster elements.

Riyadh Air's new Hafawa Lounge.

Subtle purple hues echo both Riyadh Air’s uniforms and livery, and the country’s lavender fields which explode into colour during spring – but it’s all thoughtfully dialled back, rather than dialled up to 11.

Spread across almost 2,000m2, the Hafawa Lounge offers seating for around 370 passengers “across multiple themed areas, designed to meet individual needs and preferences.”

Lounges within a lounge

Upon arrival, guests are welcomed with Saudi coffee brewed from beans sourced from the state’s coffee farms, alongside “premium dates” from the best 10% of the annual harvest.

At The Café, travellers can indulge in more barista-poured brews, accompanied by a selection of pastries and light bites from the in-house bakery.

The Cafe area at Riyadh Air's new Hafawa Lounge.

The Beverage Corner crafts premium non-alcoholic refreshments – just don’t expect any cocktails instead of mocktails, as Riyadh Air complies with Saudi Arabia’s nationwide ban on alcohol.

A la carte dining at Riyadh Air's new Hafawa Lounge.

À la carte dining is available at the Executive Dining area, which overlooks a serene garden to create a calming, nature-inspired setting.

The buffet at Riyadh Air's new Hafawa Lounge.

Passengers on Riyadh Air and its partner airlines can also graze at the Buffet and Social Dining area, or retire to the Social Lounge, which “serves as a tranquil retreat for relaxed conversation.”

The Social Lounge at Riyadh Air's new Hafawa Lounge.

(Let’s just hope that using mobile phones is banned in this part of the lounge, and that goes double for calls on speakerphone.)

There are also family rooms and private rooms available for reservation, while an Immersive Room “brings digital experiences to life, reflecting Riyadh Air’s digital-first ethos.”

The Immersive Room at Riyadh Air's new Hafawa Lounge.

Riyadh Air’s international lounge roadmap

The Hafawa Lounge is located adjacent to Terminal 1, which is the primary international terminal at Riyadh and used by several Riyadh Air partners including China Eastern, Air France, China Eastern, EgyptAir, KLM, Turkish Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.

And it’s likely to be Riyadh Air’s only lounge for the next few years, with Douglas cautious about over-reaching.

“Obviously we will only be able to invest in our own outstation lounges if we've got a thick route with multiple frequencies,” Douglas shares with Executive Traveller.

“Like any other commercially sustainable airline, we will be working with partner airlines, of which we’ve currently got ten, or the independent lounge operators.”

As previously reported, Riyadh Air has as many as 72 Dreamliners on the books with a target of “one delivery a month” across 2026

“Then we get up to two deliveries a month, and by the time we get into 2028, we’re into some months of three deliveries a month,” airline boss Douglas tells Executive Traveller.

That swift cadence will fuel Riyadh Air’s expansion to “a hundred international destinations within the first five years” and overlap with the arrival of the Airbus A350-1000, with 25 on order and plans to add first class suites.

Read more: Riyadh Air eyes ‘game-changing’ first class suites