Delta's new Saudi Arabia route marks a U-turn after shunning Gulf airlines

A Delta A350-900 will operate the new route between Atlanta and Saudi Arabia.Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesDelta Air Lines is launching the US' first-ever nonstop route to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, next year.This comes after Delta and a new Saudi state-owned carrier announced a partnership to boost tourism.It's a U-turn from Delta's past claims that Gulf carriers had an unfair advantage in the US.In a major turnaround from years of criticizing government-subsidized Gulf carriers, Delta Air Lines is further deepening its ties with a new, state-run airline.On Monday, Delta announced a new nonstop route between Atlanta and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, set to begin in October 2026. The 7,000-mile flight — the first-ever by a US airline — will be operated with Delta's premium-heavy Airbus A350-900 featuring business class, premium economy, and coach.The news comes a year after Delta announced its strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia's second flag carrier, Riyadh Air, as part of the Gulf nation's "Vision 2030" project. The state-owned airline aims to boost business and tourism in the region and is backed by a nearly $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund.Delta's new service coincides with Riyadh Air's soft debut on Sunday, flying its sole Boeing 787 from Riyadh to London with employees and "select guests" onboard. Based in the Saudi capital, the airline plans to serve more than 100 destinations by 2030.For Delta, the Riyadh Air partnership marks a sharp break from its years of criticizing Gulf carriers for what it saw as unfair, state-backed competition. Now, the airline sees market opportunities that it doesn't want to miss.The Riyadh Air Boeing 787 at the Paris Airshow in June.Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty ImagesHowever, Delta and Riyadh Air face a perception hurdle with American travelers.In an interview with Fortune editor-in-chief Alyson Shontell on Monday, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said "Americans aren't quite sure" about visiting Saudi Arabia due to long-standing political and cultural differences.Saudi Arabia remains among the world's lowest-ranked countries for gender equality in 2025.Although recent reforms have eased restrictions on travel and other rights, women under 21 still require a male guardian's approval for their choices about healthcare and education. Saudi rules also forbid the drinking of alcohol and require wearing loose-fitting clothes that cover the upper arms and below the knee.Bastian said that while the service will start "slow," he expects Saudi Arabia to "gain popularity" and described the culture as "embracing."Delta also already codeshares with Saudi Arabia's other flag carrier, Saudia, meaning they can each sell tickets on each other's flights and both airlines use their own flight number.Delta and Saudia are also part of the SkyTeam Alliance — further solidifying Delta's ties to the Middle Eastern nation.A U-turn on Gulf carriersDuring the mid-2010s, Delta, American, and United (the so-called US Big 3) went to war with the three big state-owned Middle East airlines, Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways (the ME3).The Big 3, led by Delta, argued that roughly $50 billion in government subsidies let the Gulf carriers undercut prices, which squeezed US carriers out of key international markets and threatened US airline jobs.The trio said this violated the "Open Skies" agreement that governs flights between the US and the United Arab Emirates and Qatar."They're trade violators and they're cheaters," Bastian told the president of the Cranky Flyer website in 2017, referring to the ME3. "And we need to hold them accountable."Delta CEO Ed Bastian speaks at the Economic Club of Washington in September.Andrew Harnik/Getty ImagesDelta ended its route between Atlanta and Dubai in 2016, citing "overcapacity" from Gulf carriers. United dropped its Washington Dulles to Dubai service that same year, and in 2017, United employees staged a company-sanctioned protest at Newark against Emirates' new route from Greece.Meanwhile, American temporarily suspended its codeshare with Qatar in 2018 after public disputes between the executives of both airlines. It also ended its agreement with Etihad, which is based in the UAE.But post-pandemic growth and changing market dynamics have prompted all three US carriers to reconsider. Partnerships with Gulf airlines provide better access to Asia and India, particularly amid ongoing Russian airspace restrictions.Delta was the last to fold. United launched flights between Newark, New Jersey, and Dubai in 2022 via a partnership with Emirates, and American restarted codesharing with Qatar in 2020. It also allows passengers who fly on Etihad-operated flights to earn points on American.Delta did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment about the shift.Read the original article on Business Insider