Delta will start flying daily between Atlanta, Georgia and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 23.
Interesting route… since there doesn’t seem to be much demand (One Mile at a Time). But more options are good for consumers, and it has opened up some pretty decent award availability across economy, premium economy, and business class cabins. You can also connect from other parts of the US through Atlanta and get the same pricing including from the West Coast.
Similar to other Delta deals, you can book the US to Riyadh flight for the current promotional price. However, to book a Riyadh to US flight and get the better pricing, you need to book a round-trip flight, otherwise you will be paying the expensive 300k+ points cost we are accustomed to seeing from Delta long-haul business awards.
Source: Delta
New Delta route between Atlanta/Riyadh
Route: ATL/RUH and US-ATL-RUH
Airline: Delta
Programs to book with: Delta
Travel timeline: October 2026 to Mid-April 2027 for Delta One business class
Cost: Business class starting at 147.5k points + minimal fees on average each way. Select Delta cardholders get a 15% discount, making it an average of ~126K points each way
Transfer partners: American Express
Summary: Fly Delta One Suites between Atlanta (ATL) and Riyadh (RUH) on Delta’s newest international route.
Why I like this deal: 1) Reasonable cost of redemption across all cabins, which is rare with Delta miles, 2) multiple seats (some dates 9+), 3) pretty good award availability and a better alternative than flying Saudia, 4) free change/cancel policy.
Dates with 2+ business class seats
ATL-RUH
October: 26, 27, 29, 30
November: 4, 7, 8, 11-13, 15, 22, 25, 27, 29
December: 4, 6, 11, 13, 16, 23, 27, 29, 30
January 2027: 1, 4, 6-11, 13, 15-18, 20, 22-25, 27-31
February: 1, 3-8, 10-12, 14, 15, 17-22, 24-28
March: 1, 3-5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26-29, 31
April: 3-5, 7, 10, 12, 14
RUH-ATL (Need to book a round-trip for favorable pricing)
November: 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26, 30
December: 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26, 28
January 2027: 7, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30
February: 1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 25, 27
March: 1, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 25, 27, 28, 30
April: 1, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 20, 22, 27, 29
May: 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 27
Cost breakdown
Delta: 147.5k points + $6-70 in tax/fees each way. Free changes/cancellations.
Note: If you have a Delta co-branded card that has an annual fee, you get a 15% discount on miles needed to book, making the cost ~126k points on average each way.
Credit cards that transfer
Amex
Pricing to/from Riyadh in Delta One is 147.5k points on average each way when booking a round-trip. Have a Delta co-branded credit card with an annual fee? Get a 15% discount, making it cost ~126k points on average each way.
Source: Delta
How to search and book?
1) Search and book directly on Delta’s website.
2) On the Delta site, put in dates and destinations, click on “Shop with Miles”, click on “My dates are flexible”, choose one way, choose the “Advanced Search” option, then under the “Best Fares For” option choose Delta One. Then search.
Source: Delta
3) After searching, mess around with the calendar until you find dates that fit your needs.
Source: Delta
4) Delta’s calendar view can help you quickly find dates with lower-cost availability.
5) Confirm availability and ensure there are enough seats for the dates you want to book. Then transfer your points if you need to, then book!
You can book from other cities as well, although availability is not as good
You can fly from US→ATL→RUH all on one ticket and at the same promotional pricing as just flying ATL→RUH. The connecting segment should also be in domestic first class as well.
Here is all 3 NYC airports→ATL→ for example.
Source: Delta
Delta One Suites on the A350
The Atlanta/Riyadh flight is currently scheduled to be on Delta’s A350, which has a newer Delta One Suite. Yes, that means it has a door.
Review #1 DTW-ICN (Frequent Miler)
Review #2 SCL-ATL (One Mile at a Time)
Source: Aerolopa (left) and Delta (right)
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About Find Flights for Me.
I started the idea of Find Flights for Me back in 2023 to help educate and inspire people to use their credit card points more effectively, with a focus on using points to fly business and first class flights.
When I’m not working on Wall Street or searching for flight deals, you can find me planning for my upcoming wedding, enjoying local restaurants, helping my parents book their next trip, traveling internationally, or visiting friends/family in NYC, Philadelphia, or DC.