# An American was among 12 killed at Riyadh's airport. Delta still hasn't called off its Oct. 23 flight there

Saturday's strike killed 12, including an American. Riyadh's airport is shut, the US Embassy says stay away, and Delta's Oct. 23 launch is still on.

By Patrick Karsh · Lounge Frog
Published: 2026-10-11T13:31:59.310323Z
Updated: 2026-10-14T23:45:12.497549Z
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*This story was last updated Monday, October 12, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. ET. Plans are changing by the hour, so check with your airline before you go to the airport.*

King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh is closed again. Saturday's attack on the airport killed 12 people and injured 309, Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said early Sunday. Some of the injured are in critical condition. One of the dead was an American.

That makes Saturday the deadliest day yet in a week of strikes on Saudi airports. It is also the third attack on Riyadh's airport since Wednesday. Our earlier stories covered the [first strikes](/news/riyadh-airport-houthi-missile-attack) and [Friday's brief reopening](/news/riyadh-airport-reopens-saudia-pilot-killed-flights-update). Here is what changed this weekend, and what it means if you are booked to fly.

## What happened on Saturday

GACA said the airport was attacked on Saturday afternoon and that it suspended all operations while it checks the damage. In a [follow-up statement](https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2697996), it said the dead were four Saudi citizens and eight residents of other countries: two from Bangladesh and one each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan. GACA said property damage is still being assessed. It did not name who carried out the attack.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen blamed the Houthis and called the strike a "fully-fledged war crime," [ABC News reported](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-11/riyadh-airport-suspends-flights-houthi-attacks-middle-east/107253260). ABC also reported that no alert went out from Saudi Arabia's threat warning system before the strike. One injured traveler told Reuters that part of the ceiling near a departure gate fell in.

Count the whole week and the toll is grim. Based on official figures reported by Arab News, at least 18 people have been killed at Saudi airports since Tuesday: two at Abha, one at Riyadh on Wednesday, three at Riyadh on Thursday, including a Saudia pilot, and 12 on Saturday.

## Is the airport open?

No. Riyadh's airport was still closed as of Monday morning, [CNBC reported](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/12/faa-saudi-arabia-flight-risks.html). It stayed shut through Sunday. Flightradar24 said the closure was extended by another 24 hours, to 21:00 UTC on Sunday, which is 5 p.m. ET, [AFP reported](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/latest-updates/riyadh-airport-operations-suspended-for-another-24-hours-report/articleshow/134866915.cms). Another aviation source told AFP the halt runs "until further notice." Treat any reopening time as a guess until GACA announces it.

The ripple effects reach well beyond Riyadh. [Emirates](/airlines/ek) canceled flights from Dubai to Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah and Medina on Sunday, and Etihad canceled Abu Dhabi to Riyadh flights through Monday, [Gulf News reported](https://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/riyadh-airport-attack-uae-airlines-announce-saudi-route-cancellations-and-flight-changes-1.500706246). Some Emirates flights to Jeddah and Dammam are still scheduled for Monday.

## The US Embassy says stay away

The US Mission in Saudi Arabia now "strongly recommends all U.S. citizens avoid" Riyadh's airport and the area around it, according to its [Oct. 11 security alert](https://sa.usembassy.gov/security-alert-u-s-mission-saudi-arabia-october-11-2026/). US government staff in the country now need special permission to use the airports in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. The alert also tells Americans to take "extreme caution when using all major airports in Saudi Arabia."

## The FAA warns US airlines

Late Sunday, the Federal Aviation Administration told US airlines to "exercise caution" when flying in or around Saudi Arabia, [CNBC reported](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/12/faa-saudi-arabia-flight-risks.html). The FAA cited "safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activities" and interference with navigation systems, and said the threats could affect "aircraft at all altitudes." The warning runs until Dec. 10.

## Delta still has not called off its Oct. 23 launch

[Delta](/airlines/dl) plans to start flying from Atlanta to Riyadh on Oct. 23. It would be the first nonstop flight between the US and Riyadh by a US airline. [Delta's announcement](https://news.delta.com/kingdom-calling-deltas-new-atlanta-riyadh-service-begins-oct-23) says the route will fly daily from Oct. 23 to 30, then three times a week, on an Airbus A350-900 with Delta One suites.

On Friday, before Saturday's attack, CEO Ed Bastian told [CNBC](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/09/delta-riyadh-flight-safety-houthi-attacks.html) that "safety is going to make the call" and that customers would hear a decision soon. After Saturday's strike, a Delta spokesperson told Simple Flying that the airline has "not announced any changes to our previous announcement." As of Sunday night, Delta had not changed its plans, a spokeswoman told CNBC.

Here is our view. A launch date is not a reason to wait. When the US government tells its own people they need permission to use the airport, a paying customer deserves a clear answer and a free way out. Delta does not have to cancel the route for good. But it should at least let Riyadh flyers change or cancel for free now, rather than leave them guessing for 12 days.

![A Delta Air Lines Airbus A350-900, the jet Delta plans to fly between Atlanta and Riyadh](https://pub-fac99da959e344fe99d810d309cef7df.r2.dev/photos/article/9ebe89de-5beb-42e2-a943-02154541b0e0/86ec30a677db84225d308a41e0bfa9d9.jpg)

## What to do if you are booked

- **Do not go to the airport** until your airline confirms your flight. Riyadh's airport has told passengers to check with their airline first.
- **On Delta to Riyadh?** Watch your email and the Fly Delta app. If you want out now, call Delta and ask what it can offer, since there is no posted waiver yet.
- **Flying via Jeddah instead?** Jeddah's airport has stayed open, though some flights there have been canceled. The [Saudia AlFursan Lounge in Jeddah's Terminal 1](/lounges/jed-saudia-alfursan-lounge-t1) takes Saudia first and business class flyers, plus SkyTeam Elite Plus members flying Saudia. Expect crowds if flights get rerouted.
- **Stuck abroad?** Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry says travelers who cannot reach the country should contact a Saudi embassy or consulate for help.

We will keep updating this story as airlines change their plans.

## Related reading

- [Delta’s Atlanta–Riyadh launch is off until March 2027. Here’s what ticket holders can do.](/news/delta-atlanta-riyadh-delayed-march-2027-waiver)
- [Why American Airlines still trails United and Delta](/news/why-american-airlines-still-trails-united-and-delta)
- [The 12 best Delta Sky Clubs, ranked: 2026](/news/delta-sky-clubs-ranked-2026)