Delta weighs delay to new Atlanta–Riyadh flights after airport attacks

Delta Air Lines is weighing whether to go ahead with the launch of its new Atlanta–Riyadh service after attacks at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport killed three people. The airline's chief executive, Ed Bastian, said safety considerations would decide the matter, and that customers would be told the outcome soon.

Key facts

• Delta's Atlanta–Riyadh flights are scheduled to start on 23 October 2026
• The launch is planned as daily service from 23 to 30 October, then three times a week
• Three people were killed in attacks at King Khalid International Airport, according to Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority
• Lufthansa said it is pausing flights to Saudi Arabia through at least 16 October
• Delta has said the route would be the first nonstop service between the U.S. and Riyadh operated by a U.S. airline

What is happening?

Bastian said Delta is assessing whether to debut the Atlanta–Riyadh route following attacks claimed by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen that have escalated in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority said three people were killed in the attacks at the capital's airport.

Quoting the decision-making approach, Bastian told CNBC: "Safety is going to make the call." He added that the airline would inform customers of its decision soon.

Which flights are affected?

The service in question is the planned nonstop link between Atlanta, Delta's biggest hub, and Riyadh. Flights are scheduled to begin on 23 October 2026, initially operating daily until 30 October before shifting to three-times-a-week service.

Separately, German carrier Lufthansa told CNBC it is pausing flights into Saudi Arabia through at least 16 October.

What this means for travellers

Travellers booked on the new Atlanta–Riyadh route should watch for an announcement from Delta, which has said it will communicate its decision to customers soon. Anyone holding tickets on flights to Saudi Arabia around mid-October may also want to confirm their booking status, given the suspension already announced by Lufthansa.

No decision date has been given beyond the planned 23 October launch, and no changes to the route's schedule have been announced.