Riyadh Air 2025 Hiring Outlook (Unofficial Guide)
2025 is a defining year for Riyadh Air. The airline is transitioning from planning and preparation into real operations, with its first commercial flights launching and more aircraft joining the fleet. That naturally means more hiring – but also very strong competition.
This page gives an unofficial overview of Riyadh Air’s 2025 hiring outlook based on publicly available information. It is meant for guidance only and is not an official recruitment source or partner.
⚠️ Disclaimer:
This is an unofficial informational page. It does not represent Riyadh Air, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), or any government body. For real vacancies and applications, always use the official Riyadh Air careers channels only.
1. Big Picture: How Much Is Riyadh Air Growing?
Riyadh Air is part of Saudi Arabia’s wider aviation strategy under Vision 2030, with the airline expected to contribute significantly to non-oil GDP and help create over 200,000 direct and indirect jobs in the long term across the wider ecosystem. Al Arabiya English+1
Some key points that frame the 2025 hiring outlook:
In its first year after announcement, Riyadh Air received over 1 million online job applications from candidates in more than 100 countries. Gulf News+1
The airline began hiring early, running recruitment roadshows for roles such as cabin crew, pilots and engineers in cities like Dubai, London and Paris. Khaleej Times+1
By April 2025, the CEO stated that Riyadh Air had already recruited around 500 employees and planned to double that within a year as it prepared for launch. Reuters
The airline’s long-term plan involves a large new-generation fleet of Boeing 787-9s and Airbus A321/A350 aircraft and a network of 100+ destinations by 2030, which will require steady hiring over several years, not just in 2025. Wikipedia+2Airways+2
Conclusion:
2025 is a ramp-up year, not the peak. The hiring trend is upward, but places are limited compared to the huge number of applicants.
2. What Types of Roles Are in Focus for 2025?
Riyadh Air is still building its foundations, so the main hiring focus is on core operational and support roles. Public postings and press coverage suggest activity in the following areas:
2.1 Cabin Crew
Riyadh Air has an official Cabin Crew careers page describing the role and inviting candidates to explore opportunities. Riyadh Air+1
A “Cabin Crew – Future Opportunities” listing shows that the airline continues to build a pool of candidates for upcoming intakes. Riyadh Air+1
In 2024, the airline celebrated the graduation of its first batch of 32 cabin crew, representing 14 nationalities, signalling a multi-national crew model and ongoing training activity. Riyadh Air
Given the launch of commercial flights in late 2025 and the planned growth of the network, cabin crew recruitment is expected to remain one of the most visible hiring streams throughout 2025.
2.2 Flight Crew (Pilots)
As early as 2023, Riyadh Air was already inviting pilots to apply, with media describing it as a driver of a regional aviation job boom. International Finance
Pilot-focused profiles and fleet details show the airline preparing bases and aircraft types (787, A321, A350) that will require type-rated and experienced crew over the next few years. Pilot Career Center+1
2025 hiring for pilots is likely to be selective and phased, aligned with delivery of aircraft and training timelines.
2.3 Engineering & Maintenance
With a growing fleet of new aircraft, Riyadh Air needs:
Aircraft engineers and technicians for line and base maintenance
Safety, reliability, and maintenance planning specialists
Job boards, LinkedIn listings and third-party summaries of Riyadh Air roles frequently reference aircraft engineers, safety, and technical positions among the open vacancies. LinkedIn+1
2.4 Ground Operations & Airport Roles
To support the hub at King Khalid International Airport (Riyadh) and outstations, roles may include:
Airport customer service and ground handling
Load control and dispatch
Station management and airport leadership
International job sites listing Riyadh Air vacancies for 2025 mention airport operations and station manager roles, including for overseas airports like London Heathrow. LinkedIn
2.5 Corporate, Digital & Support Functions
Riyadh Air positions itself as a digitally native, AI-driven airline, so there is also demand for: Riyadh Air+2Riyadh Air+2
IT, data and digital product roles
Revenue management and pricing
Commercial, cargo, marketing and guest experience
HR, finance, procurement and corporate support
The mix of roles will continue to shift as the company scales from a launch-phase airline to a fully established global carrier.
3. How Competitive Is Riyadh Air Recruitment in 2025?
The short answer: very competitive.
Over 1 million job applications in the first year alone means that demand from candidates far exceeds the number of available positions. Gulf News+1
By mid-2025, the company had hundreds of employees, with a near-term plan to double that headcount, which is significant for a start-up but still a small percentage compared to the number of applicants. Reuters
For candidates, this means:
Even if hiring is active, response times may be long, and many applications will not receive individual feedback.
Meeting the minimum requirements is only the first step; you must still stand out against thousands of similarly qualified applicants.
Skills in customer service, hospitality, safety awareness, languages and digital literacy are likely to be strong differentiators for front-line roles.
4. Focus on Saudi Talent – But Still International
Official coverage of Riyadh Air emphasises both:
A strong focus on developing Saudi talent, and
The aim to hire “top talent” in the Kingdom and beyond as the airline gears up for launch. Al Arabiya English
At the same time:
The first cabin crew graduation group included 14 different nationalities, showing that the airline is building a diverse, multicultural workforce, particularly in front-line roles. Riyadh Air
So for 2025, the outlook is:
Saudi nationals: Strong opportunities across many departments as part of Vision 2030 localisation goals.
International candidates: Opportunities exist, especially in roles like cabin crew, pilots and specialised technical/leadership positions – but competition is intense, and quotas may vary by intake.
5. Where Are Riyadh Air Jobs Announced?
To understand the hiring outlook, it’s important to know where legitimate vacancies appear.
As of 2025, genuine Riyadh Air roles are typically listed on:
Official Riyadh Air Careers Page – the main entry point for all departments. Riyadh Air+1
Dedicated Cabin Crew Portal & iCIMS listings – for cabin crew and purser “future opportunities” and active vacancies. Riyadh Air+2Riyadh Air+2
Riyadh Air Talent Community – where candidates can join and receive alerts for relevant future openings. Riyadh Air Talent Community+1
Official LinkedIn Company Page – used for many corporate and specialised roles (pricing, airport manager, engineering, etc.). LinkedIn
6. Warning About Fake Jobs & Recruitment Scams
Because interest in Riyadh Air roles is so high, fake job offers and scams have appeared online.
Riyadh Air itself has issued warnings reminding candidates that: Aviation Business
It does not ask job seekers to pay any fees, deposits, or “processing charges”.
Official communication will come only from verified Riyadh Air channels and domains.
Candidates should avoid agencies or individuals claiming to guarantee a job in exchange for money.
For anyone watching the 2025 hiring outlook, this is critical:
If a job offer or message does not match the official careers site or verified social media, treat it as suspicious.
7. What 2025 Candidates Can Realistically Expect
Based on public information, the 2025 hiring landscape around Riyadh Air looks like this:
Hiring will continue, especially for:
Cabin crew and pursers
Technical and engineering roles
Airport and operational staff
Key corporate and digital functions
Competition remains extremely high, with many more candidates than roles.
Selection processes (online applications, assessments, interviews, medicals, background checks) may take weeks or months. Facebook+1
Timelines may change as fleet deliveries, route announcements and operational milestones evolve.
For candidates, this means:
It’s wise to think of Riyadh Air as one of several aviation targets, not the only option.
Building strong customer service or technical experience, improving English and other languages, and preparing a professional CV and interview skills will help – whether you eventually join Riyadh Air or another airline.
8. How to Position Yourself for Future Opportunities
If you are looking ahead to Riyadh Air roles in 2025 and beyond, you can:
Follow official channels regularly
Check the careers website and LinkedIn page often. Riyadh Air+1
Join the talent community
Register your profile so you can be notified when suitable openings go live. Riyadh Air Talent Community+1
Strengthen your profile now
Gain or improve customer-facing experience (hospitality, retail, call centres, front office).
Work on English fluency and any additional languages common in aviation.
Prepare an aviation-style CV and professional photos that match typical airline standards.
Stay realistic and patient
The airline is growing, but step by step.
Even strong candidates may need to apply more than once or wait for the right intake.
9. Final Note
The Riyadh Air 2025 Hiring Outlook can be summarised in three points:
Growth is real – the airline is expanding its team as it launches flights and adds aircraft. Reuters+2Wikipedia+2
Competition is intense – with over a million applications already recorded. Gulf News+1
Official channels only – for accurate information and genuine opportunities. Riyadh Air+1
This page is here to help you understand the context, but your actual chances will depend on your profile, timing, and how well you prepare.