Riyadh Air Pilot Minimum Hours Requirements

Unofficial guide – this page is not endorsed by or affiliated with Riyadh Air.
The information below is based on publicly available Riyadh Air pilot job adverts and general Saudi / Middle East airline standards. Minimum hours and conditions can change at any time, so always check the latest job posting on the official Riyadh Air careers website before applying. Riyadh Air+1

If you’re planning a pilot career with Riyadh Air, one of your biggest questions is:

“How many flight hours do I actually need?”

The answer depends on:

  • Whether you’re applying as a First Officer or Captain

  • Which aircraft type (for example, Boeing 787 or A320)

  • Your recency (how many hours you’ve flown in the last 12 months)

  • Whether you’re a Saudi citizen or an international candidate

This guide breaks down the typical minimum hours Riyadh Air asks for in recent job ads, and what those numbers really mean for your career plan.

Quick Overview – Hours Needed for Riyadh Air Pilots

Based on recent Riyadh Air pilot vacancies for the Boeing 787 and A320:

  • First Officers (wide-body, e.g. B787)

  • First Officers (A320 / narrow-body)

    • At least 1,500 hours of recent time on a modern Airbus or Boeing aircraft

    • Plus a minimum 150 hours flown as FO or Captain in the last 12 months Aviationjobsme

  • Direct Entry Captains (B787)

    • About 6,000 hours total flying time on multi-crew, multi-engine aircraft

    • At least 2,000 hours of recent command on widebody jets such as the B787 or B777

    • Only turbojet operating-seat command time is counted Pilot Career Center+2pilots-riyadhair.icims.com+2

These numbers are much higher than the basic GACA/airline minimums used for fresh commercial pilots in Saudi Arabia (generally 250+ hours), because Riyadh Air is hiring experienced airline pilots, not ab-initio cadets. AeroGuard+1

Minimum Flight Hours for Riyadh Air First Officers

1. Boeing 787 First Officer – Typical Minimum Hours

Recent official Riyadh Air vacancies and pilot job boards for B787 First Officers consistently state: Eazy Pilot+4pilots-riyadhair.icims.com+4Pilot Career Center+4

  • Around 2,000 hours total flying time on multi-crew, multi-engine jet aircraft

  • Only time in the operating seat is counted (not simulator, not Flight Engineer, not Second Officer)

  • Ideally with time on wide-body jets such as Boeing 777 or 787

Some recruitment summaries and salary articles repeat the same figure: Riyadh Air First Officers are expected to have at least 2,000 hours of flying experience on suitable aircraft types. Reddit+3LinkedIn+3Aviation A2Z+3

2. A320 / Narrow-Body First Officer – Typical Minimum Hours

For A320 first officer roles and “future opportunities” postings, some adverts focus more on recent hours rather than total lifetime hours: Aviationjobsme+1

  • Minimum 1,500 hours recent time on a modern Airbus or Boeing aircraft

  • At least 150 hours as First Officer or Captain in the last 12 months at time of joining

This emphasis on recency ensures you are actively flying modern glass-cockpit jets, not just holding older hours from many years ago.

3. Licence & nationality notes

Several Riyadh Air pilot job adverts mention: PilotsGlobal+2Aviationjobsme+2

  • A valid ICAO ATPL and Class 1 medical are generally required

  • English level 4 or 5+ (ICAO scale)

  • In some postings, a “frozen” ATPL may be accepted only for Saudi citizens, while non-Saudi pilots are expected to hold a full ATPL

These are licence and medical requirements, separate from total hours, but they go together when assessing your overall suitability.

Minimum Flight Hours for Riyadh Air Captains

Riyadh Air’s direct entry Captain roles require significantly more experience than First Officer positions, because Captains are responsible for the overall safety and leadership of the flight.

1. Boeing 787 Direct Entry Captain – Typical Minimum Hours

Recent B787 Captain adverts and partner listings for Riyadh Air mention: LinkedIn+4Pilot Career Center+4Pilot Assessments+4

  • Minimum 6,000 hours total flying time on multi-crew, multi-engine aircraft

  • At least 2,000 hours of recent command time on wide-body aircraft, preferably Boeing 787 or 777

  • Only time spent in the operating seat of turbojet aircraft is counted towards these numbers

  • In some summaries, at least 150 hours of command within the last 12 months is specified to demonstrate recency

In short: you are expected to be a highly experienced wide-body commander, not just a regional jet captain stepping up.

2. Differences between sources

Some third-party aviation news and salary sites mention slightly different figures (for example, First Officers at 3,000 hours or Captains at 5,000 hours). Aviation A2Z+2Aero World+2

Whenever there is a difference:

Always treat the most recent, official Riyadh Air job posting as the final authority.

Numbers on blogs and salary sites may be estimates or outdated.

What Counts – and What Does Not Count – Toward the Minimum Hours

Riyadh Air job postings use very specific wording about what kind of hours they accept. Aviationjobsme+4pilots-riyadhair.icims.com+4Pilot Career Center+4

Hours that typically do count

  • Multi-crew, multi-engine jet aircraft

  • Time logged in the operating seat (PIC or SIC) under Part 121 / airline-type operations

  • Command time on wide-body jets when applying for Captain roles

Hours that typically do NOT count

  • Simulator time (even in Level-D full-motion sims)

  • Time logged as Flight Engineer

  • Time logged as Second Officer in non-operating seats

  • Time on very light aircraft that are not multi-crew jets (for the advertised positions)

General GACA and training-school minimums (for example 250–300 hours to be employable by a Saudi airline as an entry-level pilot) are far below what Riyadh Air asks for its current wide-body and narrow-body roles. Aerotech Flight Academy+3AeroGuard+3Golden Epaulettes+3

Why Riyadh Air Requires High Minimum Hours

There are a few key reasons Riyadh Air sets these thresholds:

  1. Safety and regulatory confidence

    • Pilots with 1,500–6,000+ hours have seen a wide range of weather, airports and operational situations.

    • This supports a safety-first culture for a new national carrier.

  2. Wide-body and modern fleet

    • Riyadh Air is building a fleet of advanced aircraft such as the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and A321neo, which demand strong jet experience and modern cockpit familiarity. Pilot Career Center+2LinkedIn+2

  3. Brand positioning

    • As a premium, globally-focused airline, Riyadh Air wants experienced pilots who can act as leaders and mentors from day one.

How Many Hours Do You Need at Each Stage of Your Career?

Think of your career in three steps:

Step 1 – Basic commercial pilot eligibility (Saudi context)

  • Flight schools and training programmes aimed at Saudi airlines mention that around 250 total hours can be the minimum to be employable by some carriers, after obtaining a commercial licence and necessary ratings. AeroGuard+2Epic Flight Academy+2

At this stage you’re not yet ready for Riyadh Air, but you can start in smaller / regional roles to build experience.

Step 2 – Building to Riyadh Air First Officer standards

To reach Riyadh Air FO level, you generally need:

  • 1,500–2,000+ total hours on multi-crew, multi-engine jets

  • Recent experience (for some roles, at least 150 hours in last 12 months) Eazy Pilot+2Aviationjobsme+2

Pilots usually build this time by:

  • Starting at a regional or low-cost airline

  • Flying narrow-body jets (A320/B737) as First Officer

  • Sometimes instructing or flying in other commercial operations before joining an airline

Step 3 – Reaching Captain standards

To apply as a Riyadh Air Captain you should be at:

Most pilots reach this stage after many years in airlines, often progressing from:

Regional FO → Narrow-body FO → Narrow-body Captain → Wide-body FO → Wide-body Captain

How to Check the Current Minimum Hours (Step-by-Step)

Because requirements can change, the best way to know the exact numbers today is:

  1. Visit the official Riyadh Air careers site

  2. Choose the relevant role

    • For example: “First Officer B787”, “First Officer – Future Opportunities 2025”, or “Direct Entry Captain B787”.

  3. Look for the “About You” / “Minimum Requirements” section

    • Here you will see the up-to-date total hours, command hours, recency, and licence requirements.

  4. Use external job boards only as a guide

Final Reminder & Disclaimer

This page is an unofficial informational guide to typical Riyadh Air pilot minimum hours requirements. It is based on:

Actual requirements (hours, recency, fleet, licence type, nationality rules) may change at any time.

Before applying, you should always:

  1. Check the latest pilot job posting on the official Riyadh Air careers website. Riyadh Air+1

  2. Verify your licence, medical, and logbook meet the stated minimums.

  3. Contact Riyadh Air recruitment or their official partners if you have questions.