The NOTAM closure window for Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport expired at 5:00 PM EDT today. Saudi aviation authority GACA has published no extension and no reopening announcement. The airport remains effectively closed to scheduled flights — no carrier has confirmed resuming service. Do not travel to the airport without written confirmation from your airline.
Riyadh Airport Status Tracker: Is King Khalid International Open?
The closure order for Riyadh’s main airport has lapsed — but that is not a reopening. Here is what is confirmed, what is unknown, and what to do if your travel is affected.
⚡ Key Facts (verified October 17, 2026)
- Airport: King Khalid International (RUH/OERK), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Ordered by: GACA — Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation
- NOTAM A3604/26 window: ended October 17, 2026, at 21:00 UTC (5:00 PM EDT)
- Reopening date: not announced — no GACA statement since the October 12 extension
- What expiry means: the stated closure order lapsed. It does not mean flights have resumed.
- Bottom line for travelers: treat Riyadh airport as closed until your airline confirms your flight in writing.
What Happened: Timeline
- October 8: A parked Saudia aircraft was damaged on the ground at Riyadh airport (aircraft type and registration unconfirmed).
- October 10: The deadliest strike — a projectile hit the passenger terminal. GACA reported 12 killed and 309 injured; the Saudi-led coalition put the toll at 13 killed. The Houthi movement claimed responsibility. GACA suspended operations at King Khalid International the same day.
- October 11: A further strike hit Terminal 4 — 1 killed (a Pakistani national), 11 injured, per AP reporting.
- October 12: GACA extended the suspension to allow safety checks and operational-readiness assessments — with no reopening date. Aviation trackers cited NOTAM A3604/26 with a window running to October 17, 21:00 UTC; GACA never formally confirmed that notice.
- October 15: Saudi air defenses reported intercepting a cruise missile over Madinah.
- October 17, 5:00 PM EDT: The NOTAM window expired. No extension published. No reopening announced. No published timetable for resuming flights.
Casualty figures above are as reported by GACA, the coalition, and wire services; some totals remain disputed. We report each figure with its source and do not present estimates as confirmed.
Airline-by-Airline Status
These are the suspension and resumption dates announced by the airlines themselves — they are carrier decisions, not a GACA reopening. Dates were last reported October 16–17, 2026 and can change; always re-check with your airline.
| Airline | Status (as reported) |
|---|---|
| Etihad Airways | Riyadh suspended through October 19; selected Dammam/Jeddah services also cancelled |
| Air France-KLM | Riyadh suspended through end of October — the longest announced timeline among major carriers |
| Air India | Saudi flights suspended through at least October 20 (some reports say October 24); one-time free date change for tickets issued by Oct 15 for travel Oct 9–25, or full refund |
| Air India Express | Saudi flights suspended through October 24 |
| IndiGo | Saudi flights (Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Medina) suspended through October 24 |
| Akasa Air | Riyadh suspended through October 24; Jeddah through October 21 |
| Qatar Airways | Temporarily suspended Riyadh and Dammam flights |
| Gulf Air | Riyadh services cancelled through October 17 |
| Philippine Airlines | Riyadh suspended through November 29 |
| Lufthansa Group | Riyadh flights cancelled through October 16; no update confirmed beyond that date |
| Delta Air Lines | New Atlanta–Riyadh route postponed to March 2027 |
| Malaysia Airlines | Resumed Jeddah and Madinah October 18 — the first confirmed resumption on Saudi routes |
| Saudia | Operating from Dammam, Jeddah, and Madinah, per the Indian Embassy advisory |
What To Do If Your Travel Is Affected
✅ Five steps, in order
- Do not go to the airport without written confirmation (email, app notification, or SMS) from your airline that your specific flight is operating.
- Contact your airline first — not a travel agent, not social media. Ask for rebooking or a refund, and get every promise in writing.
- Know your refund rights. If the airline cancelled your flight, you are generally entitled to a full cash refund — not a voucher — under EU261/UK261 (European carriers) and US DOT rules (flights to/from the US). Air India is additionally offering a one-time free date change or full refund on affected Saudi bookings.
- Consider alternate airports. The Saudi Railway East line connects Riyadh to Dammam in about four hours, and Saudia flies from Dammam, Jeddah, and Madinah. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Bahrain remain open, though all face knock-on delays — allow generous connection times.
- Check two documents: your travel insurance policy (many standard policies exclude destinations under elevated government advisories — read the fine print before assuming coverage) and your government’s current travel advisory for Saudi Arabia.
Should You Book a Flight Connecting Through Riyadh?
No — not yet. Booking engines may still show itineraries connecting through Riyadh. Until GACA announces a reopening and airlines confirm schedules, treat any Riyadh connection as unreliable. If you already hold such a booking, contact your airline now about rerouting via Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Istanbul.
Update Log
- Oct 17, 2026, 5:30 PM EDT: Tracker published. NOTAM A3604/26 window expired 5:00 PM EDT; no GACA extension or reopening announced; no carrier resumptions confirmed for Riyadh.
We update this page as verified information arrives. Unconfirmed social-media claims are never added until a second reliable source corroborates them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Riyadh airport open right now?
As of 5:30 PM EDT on October 17, 2026: effectively no. The NOTAM closure window expired at 5:00 PM EDT, but GACA has published no extension and no reopening announcement, and no airline has confirmed resuming scheduled service to Riyadh. Treat the airport as closed until your airline confirms otherwise in writing.
What was NOTAM A3604/26?
A Notice to Airmen marking Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport (RUH/OERK) unavailable for precautionary reasons. Its published window ran until 21:00 UTC on October 17, 2026 (5:00 PM EDT). GACA never formally confirmed that window, and its expiry is not a reopening — it only means the stated closure order lapsed.
When will Riyadh airport reopen?
No date has been announced. GACA’s October 12 extension gave no reopening timetable, and no new statement has been published as of October 17. Airlines have set their own dates ranging from October 18 (Malaysia Airlines, Jeddah/Madinah only) to November 29 (Philippine Airlines, Riyadh) — but these are airline decisions, not a GACA reopening.
Which airlines have suspended Riyadh flights?
Etihad (through Oct 19), Air France-KLM (through end of October), Air India and Air India Express (through at least Oct 20–24), IndiGo (through Oct 24), Akasa Air (Riyadh through Oct 24), Qatar Airways (temporarily), Gulf Air (through Oct 17), Philippine Airlines (through Nov 29), and Lufthansa Group (through Oct 16, no update confirmed). Delta postponed its new Atlanta–Riyadh route to March 2027.
Can I get a refund if my Riyadh flight was cancelled?
If the airline cancelled your flight, you are generally entitled to a full cash refund — not just a voucher — under EU261/UK261 for European carriers and US DOT rules for flights to/from the US. Air India is also offering a one-time free date change or full refund on affected Saudi bookings. Get every promise in writing.
What are my alternatives to flying from Riyadh?
The Saudi Railway East line runs Riyadh to Dammam in about four hours, and Saudia operates from Dammam, Jeddah, and Madinah. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Bahrain remain open, though all face knock-on delays. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh has pointed travelers to Saudia from Dammam/Jeddah/Madinah and to flights from Bahrain and Qatar where visas permit.
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