London to Riyadh. Six and a half hours nonstop, with a cabin to work in and a bed to sleep in.
A nonstop that suits a heavy or ultra long range aircraft, flown overnight as often as by day. We plan the aircraft, the crew and the hours at either end, so you land ready for the meeting.
The route
At a glance
- Flight timeAbout 6 hours 15 to 7 hoursEastbound. The return westbound usually runs a little longer against the prevailing winds.
- DistanceRoughly 3,070 milesAbout 2,670 nautical miles, which is beyond the sensible nonstop range of a midsize aircraft.
- AircraftHeavy or ultra long rangeA stand-up cabin, a proper galley and somewhere to sleep are the reason to charter this route at all.
- ToRiyadh, King Khalid International (RUH)North of the city, with private movements handled away from the main passenger terminals.
Why people fly it privately
It is a working flight, not a hop
Six and a half hours changes what you need from an aircraft. On a two hour European leg the cabin is a detail; on this one it is the whole proposition. A heavy jet gives you a stand-up cabin, a galley that can actually produce a meal, a proper washroom and enough separation to work at one end and sleep at the other. An ultra long range aircraft adds range margin, so a headwind or a diversion does not turn into a technical stop.
The other thing that changes at this length is crew duty. A same day return with a handful of hours on the ground in Riyadh is a long duty for two pilots, and whether it can be flown with one crew or needs a second, or a night stop, is a real question we work out before quoting rather than after. It is the most common reason a plan changes shape between the first call and the proposal.
Most people who fly this route are doing business, and the day is usually built backwards from one meeting. Tell us when you need to be in the room and we will work out the departure, not the other way round. Time in Riyadh is two hours ahead of London in British Summer Time and three hours ahead in winter, which is enough to make an overnight eastbound flight land at a civilised hour.
Odyssey's own cars and chauffeurs are in London and Manchester, and a trusted global network covers everywhere else. In Saudi Arabia the cars are arranged through operators we know, briefed by us and working to the tail number, so the arrival is handled the way the London end is. One contact, wherever you are.
Compared
Private, first class or a stop
| Door to door | Good for | Less good for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private nonstop | About 8 hours from central London | A team travelling together, a fixed meeting time, documents and conversation on board, an immediate return, and landing somewhere calm | A single traveller with a flexible week and no reason to control the schedule |
| Scheduled nonstop | About 10 to 11 hours | One or two people, a flexible diary, and the airline's own premium cabins, which on this route are genuinely good | Groups, tight connections at either end, and any day where the meeting time moves |
| Private with a stop | Add roughly an hour | A smaller aircraft on a route it cannot fly nonstop, or a deliberate pick-up in Europe or the Gulf on the way | Anyone who chartered specifically to avoid getting off the aircraft |
Door to door figures are realistic estimates including the road at both ends, not published timings.
Planning it well
Things worth knowing
On a long sector, most of the decisions are made before anyone books anything.
- Settle the crew question first. Whether a same day return needs an augmented crew or a night stop changes the aircraft, the cost and sometimes the dates
- Overnight eastbound is the kindest version for a morning meeting, and it needs a cabin you can actually sleep in rather than a long seat
- Entry requirements for Saudi Arabia change. We check the current position for every passenger on the manifest before a plan is confirmed, and you should not rely on what applied last year
- Tell us the meeting, not the flight. We build the day backwards from the time you need to be in the room, including the road at the Riyadh end. For a regional itinerary the aircraft can stay with you, and Riyadh, Jeddah and the wider Gulf on one trip is usually better arranged as one charter than as several
- Dubai is the other long Gulf route we arrange most often, and the planning questions are much the same
Around the trip
Related pages
Request a quote
Tell us the dates
Dates, numbers, and the time you need to be in the room at the Riyadh end. Say whether you are returning the same day, because that is the question that shapes the aircraft and the crew. We come back with a proposal covering the flight and the cars at both ends. Nothing is booked or paid online.
Prefer to talk? +44 2030 048300 or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Questions people ask
About this route
What size of aircraft do we need?
A heavy jet as a sensible minimum, and an ultra long range aircraft if you want range margin and a cabin you can sleep in properly. A midsize aircraft would need a stop, which rather defeats the purpose.
Can we do it there and back in a day?
Sometimes, and it depends on crew duty limits and how long you are on the ground. We work that out before quoting so the answer you get is one that can actually be flown.
Can you arrange the car in Riyadh?
Yes, through operators we know. Our own fleet and chauffeurs are in London and Manchester, and a trusted global network covers everywhere else. Wherever we use it, we arrange, brief and manage the car so you still deal with one contact.
Can the aircraft stay with us for a regional trip?
Yes, and for several stops in a week it is usually the better arrangement. Tell us the whole itinerary rather than the first leg and we will price it as one trip.
One contact, wherever you are