FAA tells US airlines to exercise caution in Saudi Arabia flights, citing safety risks

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has instructed US airlines to exercise caution when flying to or over Saudi Arabia due to safety risks linked to ongoing military operations and navigation system interference. This advisory, issued in a Notice to Airmen, remains in effect until December 10. The warning follows attacks on Riyadh’s international airport on Saturday and Sunday, which killed 13 people and injured more than 300.

According to the FAA, these threats could pose a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes, including during overflight, arrival, and departure phases of flight. The notice applies to US-registered aircraft as well as those operated by US airlines.

Riyadh airport is currently closed to flights through at least 5 p.m. EDT on Monday. Delta Air Lines, which had been set to begin direct flights to Riyadh on October 23 from Atlanta, has not yet commented on the FAA’s advisory. However, the airline’s CEO, Ed Bastian, has stated that safety will be the deciding factor in determining whether the flights proceed.

Other major US airlines serving Riyadh typically do so through codeshare partnerships. In September 2025, FedEx launched its first dedicated flight to Saudi Arabia, operating six times per week with connections to Guangzhou and Shanghai.