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Riyadh Air has opened its first Hafawa Lounge at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, unveiling a design-forward premium hub that aims to redefine pre-flight comfort for business travelers ahead of the airline’s commercial launch.
A Flagship Lounge Anchoring Riyadh Air’s Launch Strategy
The unveiling of the Hafawa Lounge at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport marks a major milestone for Riyadh Air as it moves toward the start of commercial operations. Positioned between Terminals 1 and 2 at the carrier’s home hub, the lounge is conceived as the physical expression of the airline’s promise to deliver a calm, restorative journey from the moment guests arrive at the airport.
Reserved for Business Elite and Business Class passengers, the lounge spans close to 2,000 square meters and can host around 370 guests at a time. Its size and layout reflect Riyadh Air’s ambition to become a global connector by 2030, with a premium ground product designed to support growing long-haul and regional networks.
Riyadh Air positions the lounge as integral to a “restorative sensory journey,” with lighting, acoustics and materials carefully tuned to help travelers reset before boarding. The opening provides an early, concrete look at the airline’s broader service philosophy, which combines high-touch hospitality, advanced technology and a distinctly Saudi sense of welcome.
Design by Yabu Pushelberg Blends Desert Aesthetics and Modern Luxury
The Hafawa Lounge has been created in partnership with global design studio Yabu Pushelberg, known for luxury hotels and residences around the world. Their brief was to design a space that feels both monumental and intimate, using architecture and interiors to evoke the landscapes and light of Saudi Arabia while meeting the expectations of modern premium travelers.
The material palette leans on warm limestone, oak and textured plaster, building a soft, tactile backdrop that contrasts with the hard surfaces and bright lighting of the terminal outside. Subtle accents in muted peach, lavender and indigo echo Riyadh Air’s brand colors without overwhelming the space, while providing visual cues that help guests orient themselves as they move through different zones.
Lighting plays a central role. A circadian-inspired system shifts in tone and intensity through the day, moving from warmer hues at dawn and dusk to cooler, more energizing light at midday. The aim is to mirror the changing desert sky and support passengers’ natural rhythms, especially those in transit between time zones. Large runway-facing windows bring daylight deep into the lounge and frame views of aircraft movements outside.
Instead of a single open-plan hall, the lounge is composed as a sequence of interconnected rooms. This residential approach allows guests to choose spaces suited to their mood, whether they are seeking quiet seclusion, a social setting, focused work time or family-friendly areas.
Spaces Tailored for Relaxation, Work and Social Connection
On arrival, travelers pass through a sculptural entry zone that clearly separates the world of the terminal from the calm of the lounge. Beyond it lies a central pantry and social dining area, where guests can quickly access refreshments or settle in for a more leisurely bite between flights.
Along the windows, the Balcony Café offers a more animated atmosphere with views of the airfield, catering to those who prefer to watch aircraft movements while enjoying barista-prepared coffee and light dishes. Elsewhere, dedicated zones such as The Study and The Parlor are designed to feel like private living rooms, with softer lighting and more secluded seating that encourage reading, quiet conversation or catching up on work.
For guests seeking deeper rest, the lounge incorporates garden-facing seating areas and private sleeping pods for individuals and families. Spa-like washrooms and shower suites are intended to support longer connections, allowing travelers to freshen up before continuing their journeys. This zoning strategy is designed to create a natural flow, guiding guests intuitively through the space according to their needs and time to departure.
At the heart of the lounge experience is the concept of Hafawa, a deeply rooted Saudi cultural value that centers on warmth, generosity and attentive hosting. Guests are welcomed with Saudi coffee and premium dates, a traditional gesture that underscores the airline’s effort to embed local culture into each stage of the journey.
Embedded Technology Delivers a Seamless, Digital-First Experience
Riyadh Air describes itself as a digital-native airline, and that philosophy is visible throughout the Hafawa Lounge. Technology is present but discreet, used to simplify movement through the space rather than dominate it. Biometric-enabled access points, intuitive wayfinding and smart signage help guests navigate quickly from entrance to seating, dining and boarding zones.
Immersive media rooms and digital installations provide experiential elements without overwhelming the calm of the primary lounge areas. These features are designed to entertain, inform and inspire, offering travelers a glimpse into Saudi Arabia’s culture, landscapes and future-focused development projects while they wait.
Service is supported by technology as well. Behind the scenes, digital platforms coordinate staffing, catering and cleaning to maintain service levels as passenger volumes increase. The airline’s Sfeer loyalty program, already open for enrollment, is expected to tie into the lounge experience through personalized recognition and potential access benefits as the program matures.
The result is a space where guests move fluidly from curb to seat, with processes such as check-in and document checks increasingly handled through automated systems. For premium passengers, the lounge becomes both a sanctuary from the terminal and a highly efficient staging point for long-haul travel.
Raising the Bar for Premium Travel in Saudi Arabia
The Hafawa Lounge arrives at a time when Saudi Arabia is rapidly expanding its tourism and aviation sectors under Vision 2030. As new hotels, cultural institutions and infrastructure projects come online, the quality of the country’s airport experience is becoming a key part of its global positioning.
By investing heavily in design, comfort and technology on the ground, Riyadh Air is signaling that its premium offer will extend well beyond the aircraft cabin. The lounge sets a benchmark for what travelers can expect from the airline’s broader network of future ground facilities, and reinforces Riyadh’s ambitions to emerge as a major global transit hub.
For business travelers in particular, the Hafawa Lounge is designed to turn connection time into productive or restorative time, with spaces calibrated for meetings, focused work or complete disconnect. As Riyadh Air prepares for its first flights, the lounge offers a visible preview of a brand seeking to compete at the top tier of international aviation.
With its blend of world-class design, culturally rooted hospitality and integrated technology, the Hafawa Lounge aims to shift expectations of what an airport lounge in the region can be, and to make Riyadh’s new carrier synonymous with a calmer, more considered way of moving through the skies.