Riyadh Air unveils indigo livery on 787-9

Riyadh Air has unveiled the first images of its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner featuring the airline’s indigo livery, after the aircraft emerged from Boeing’s paint facility in Charleston, South Carolina, USA.

The aircraft is registered as HZ-RXAK and is Riyadh Air’s 10th Boeing 787-9. The airline currently operates eight Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, including one leased from Oman Air.

Inspired by spring desert blooms and Arabic calligraphy, the indigo and lavender design complements Riyadh Air’s pearlescent white livery. The airline expects every tenth aircraft in its fleet to feature the indigo livery, creating a distinctive visual marker of its fleet growth.

The aircraft is expected to be delivered soon and will subsequently operate on Riyadh Air’s network of 15 global destinations.

“Seeing our first Indigo aircraft emerge from the paint shop is a proud moment for Riyadh Air. Inspired by the colors of spring desert blooms and the beauty of Arabic calligraphy, the indigo livery positions our brand with a striking presence that will stand out at airports across the world. Alongside our pearlescent livery, it reflects a modern, confident Saudi identity, and marks another significant milestone as we have grown to 10 aircraft and 15 destinations in less than four months,” said Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air.

The company also shared images of the newly painted Boeing 787 on social media, saying, “First look at our Nile Blue Boeing 787 Dreamliner after the completion of its painting.”

Interestingly, this is not the first time Riyadh Air has showcased its indigo livery on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The airline first unveiled the livery in Riyadh on June 12, 2023, before making its international public debut at the Paris Air Show on June 19, 2023.

The aircraft, which was registered as N8572C at the time, served as a promotional aircraft for Riyadh Air. However, it was never delivered to the airline and was subsequently delivered to TAAG Angola Airlines, where it operates as D2-TEQ.

The airline’s current order book includes 67 firm Boeing 787 Dreamliner orders, comprising the 787-9 and 787-10 variants. It also has 60 Airbus A321neo aircraft on order in the narrowbody segment and 31 firm orders for the Airbus A350-1000, including a commitment for six additional aircraft finalised in July 2026.