✓ Policy web-verified
Riyadh Air is Saudi Arabia’s brand-new premium carrier, flying its first paying passengers from June 2026 on a small fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. It now flies international routes alongside a Saudi domestic network, and the two carry different baggage rules. Fares come in named bundles: Lite, Smart and Flex in Economy and Premium Economy, and Smart, Flex and Elite in Business. The cheapest economy seat is the Lite bundle, and on a launch-fare deal you should assume it is built around the cabin bag — checked baggage is the lever Riyadh Air uses to separate Lite from the dearer Smart and Flex tiers.
Because Riyadh Air is a full-service carrier, the carry-on allowance is generous by deal-fare standards — a real cabin bag plus a personal item, not the personal-item-only treatment you get from a European low-cost carrier. Riyadh Air now publishes a full baggage table, so we treat the exact per-bundle weights and dimensions below as best-available rather than gospel — confirm on your specific booking before you pack.
Quick facts
| Fleet / network | Boeing 787-9 — international routes plus a Saudi domestic network |
| Cheapest fare | Economy Lite — 25 kg checked included internationally; nothing free on domestic |
| Cabin bag (Economy) | 1 piece up to 7 kg (56 x 36 x 23 cm), plus a 5 kg personal item |
| Checked bag (Economy Lite) | 25 kg international; none on domestic — purchase at booking |
| Checked bag (Economy Smart / Flex) | 30 kg / 35 kg international; 25 kg / 30 kg domestic |
| Allowance concept | Total WEIGHT, not pieces — check as many bags as you like within it |
| Business checked | 45 / 50 / 65 kg international (Smart / Flex / Elite) |
| Max single bag | 32 kg per piece; 158 cm standard, oversize fee up to 300 cm |
Cabin bag & personal item
| Item | Allowance |
|---|---|
| Personal item | 1 small item (handbag or laptop bag) up to 5 kg, max 45 x 35 x 25 cm — included on every fare, including Lite |
| Cabin / carry-on bag | 1 piece, 56 x 36 x 23 cm — up to 7 kg in Economy, 12 kg in Premium Economy, 15 kg in Business. Included on every fare, Lite included |
Checked baggage & fees
| Economy Lite | 25 kg on international routes; nothing free on domestic — purchase at booking or check-in |
| Economy Smart / Flex | 30 kg / 35 kg international; 25 kg / 30 kg domestic |
| Premium Economy | 35 / 40 / 45 kg international (Lite / Smart / Flex); 30 / 35 kg domestic (Smart / Flex) |
| Business | 45 / 50 / 65 kg international (Smart / Flex / Elite); 40 / 45 / 55 kg domestic |
| Per-bag weight limit | No single piece over 32 kg whatever your total allowance. Standard size 158 cm; an oversize fee applies up to 300 cm; over 300 cm is not accepted |
| Extra / prepaid bag fee | Varies by route, date and channel; cheaper prepaid online than at the airport |
Baggage by region & route
Checked-bag inclusion on the cheapest fare can depend on where you fly, not just the fare name. Here is what the lowest fare includes by route:
| Route / region | Cheapest fare includes |
|---|---|
| International | Economy Lite: 25 kg included |
| Domestic (Saudi Arabia) | Economy Lite: no free checked bag — purchasable |
What each fare includes
| Fare | Personal | Cabin | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lite (Economy) | Included, 5 kg | 1 piece 7 kg | 25 kg international; none domestic |
| Smart (Economy) | Included, 5 kg | 1 piece 7 kg | 30 kg international; 25 kg domestic |
| Flex (Economy) | Included, 5 kg | 1 piece 7 kg | 35 kg international; 30 kg domestic |
| Business (Smart/Flex/Elite) | Included, 5 kg | 1 piece 15 kg | 45 / 50 / 65 kg international |
What you actually get on a cheap fare
What you actually get on a cheap Riyadh Air deal fare: a launch-price ticket is almost always the Economy Lite bundle. That gets you a proper cabin bag (around 7 kg) plus an under-seat personal item — comfortable for a short trip or a carry-on-only traveller, and, on international routes, 25 kg of checked baggage in the base price — it is only on domestic flights that Lite leaves the hold out. Riyadh Air, like every Gulf full-service carrier, monetises the hold: the difference between Lite and Smart is essentially the checked allowance.
If you need to check a bag, you have two options — buy a bag onto the Lite fare, or book up to Smart, which bundles the checked allowance in. Run the maths both ways at booking: on a long-haul fare the prepaid bag fee is often only modestly less than the Lite-to-Smart upgrade, and Smart usually throws in seat selection and easier changes too. Budget for the bag at the time of booking — adding it at the airport is the most expensive way to do it.
Oversize, sports & special items
Sports equipment, musical instruments and oversize items follow standard full-service rules: anything over 32 kg per piece or 300 cm total dimensions must be arranged as special/cargo baggage rather than checked normally, and bulky gear (bikes, golf, skis) is usually carried within or in place of your checked allowance for a handling fee — declare it before you travel. A musical instrument too large for the overhead can be carried as cabin baggage only if you buy an extra seat for it.
2025/2026 note: Riyadh Air only entered commercial service in June 2026 on the Boeing 787-9, so its baggage rules are new and still settling. The airline now publishes a complete allowance table by cabin, bundle and international-versus-domestic routing. Expect the policy to firm up — and an Airbus A321 narrowbody and A350-1000 widebody to join the fleet — through 2026, which may add shorter regional routes with their own allowances.
Frequently asked questions
Does the cheapest Riyadh Air fare include a checked bag?
On international routes, yes — the cheapest Economy Lite fare includes 25 kg of checked baggage. It is only on Saudi domestic flights that Lite carries no free checked bag and you must buy one. Smart and Flex add more weight on both: 30 kg and 35 kg internationally, 25 kg and 30 kg domestically.
What is Riyadh Air's carry-on / cabin baggage allowance?
Economy passengers get one cabin bag of roughly 7 kg plus a small personal item that fits under the seat, on every fare including Lite. Business passengers get one cabin piece of up to 15 kg, and Premium Economy up to 12 kg. The limit is 56 x 36 x 23 cm, so a deep 40 cm-wide trolley will not fit.
How many checked bags does Riyadh Air Economy include?
It depends on the bundle. Riyadh Air does not count pieces — it gives you a total weight and you may split it across as many bags as you like, provided no single bag exceeds 32 kg. Economy gets 25 kg on Lite, 30 kg on Smart and 35 kg on Flex internationally; domestically Lite includes nothing, Smart 25 kg and Flex 30 kg.
What is the maximum weight for a single Riyadh Air bag?
Each individual bag must not exceed 32 kg and 300 cm in total dimensions (length plus width plus height). Anything heavier or larger has to be handled as oversize or special baggage, not a normal checked piece.
Does Riyadh Air's checked-bag rule change by region or route?
Yes, and it is the single most important thing to check. International and Saudi domestic flights carry different allowances on the same bundle name: Economy Lite includes 25 kg internationally but nothing at all domestically, and every tier above it is lower on domestic than international. Read the route, not just the fare name.
How much does it cost to add a checked bag to a Lite fare?
Riyadh Air hasn’t published a fixed fee — it varies by route, date and where you buy it. As with all carriers, prepaying online when you book is cheaper than adding the bag at the airport. Compare the add-a-bag price against simply booking the Smart bundle, which often costs about the same and includes more.
What's the difference between Lite, Smart and Flex on Riyadh Air?
Lite is the cheapest, cabin-bag-focused fare. Smart adds a checked baggage allowance plus typically seat selection. Flex adds more flexibility (changes, and a higher weight allowance). Business uses Smart, Flex and Elite tiers instead.
How much checked baggage does Riyadh Air Business Class allow?
Business is weight-based like the rest of the airline: 45 kg on Smart, 50 kg on Flex and 65 kg on Elite internationally, and 40 / 45 / 55 kg domestically, plus one 15 kg cabin piece. No single bag may exceed 32 kg. The exact figure is confirmed on your booking.
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