Riyadh Air has unveiled its first premium airport lounge, the Hafawa Lounge, at King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh, marking a significant milestone as the airline prepares for commercial operations.
Located between Terminals 1 and 2, the 2,000-square-metre lounge can accommodate approximately 370 Business Elite and Business Class guests. Designed in partnership with internationally acclaimed studio Yabu Pushelberg, the space reflects the airline’s ambition to position design, innovation and Saudi hospitality at the heart of its guest experience.
Named after the Arabic concept of hafawa, denoting warmth and generosity, the lounge is intended as more than a pre-flight waiting area. Riyadh Air describes it as an integral part of a restorative sensory journey, designed to help travellers reset and recharge before departure.
“The Hafawa Lounge reflects our belief that design and technology play an important role in shaping the guest experience,” said Mody Alkhalaf, Director of Guest Experience at Riyadh Air. He added that the collaboration with Yabu Pushelberg brings together “the traditional warmth of Saudi hospitality with contemporary, future-forward design.”
Inspired by the Saudi desert landscape, the interiors combine limestone, oak and textured plaster to create a calm, residential-style setting. A circadian lighting system shifts throughout the day, warm at dawn, cooler at midday and warm again at dusk, echoing natural desert rhythms. Subtle accents of peach, lavender and indigo reference the airline’s brand palette.
Rather than a single open-plan space, the lounge is arranged as a series of interconnected rooms catering to different needs. A central Pantry offers informal dining, while the Balcony Café overlooks the runway. More private areas, including The Study and The Parlor, provide quieter environments.
Additional features include spa-style bathrooms, garden-facing seating, and private sleeping pods for individuals and families.
“Our goal was to create a space that supports the emotional side of travel,” said Glenn Pushelberg, Co-Founder of Yabu Pushelberg. His co-founder George Yabu added that the design was conceived as “a home made up of distinct rooms,” allowing guests to shape their own experience.
Digital elements are integrated throughout the lounge, including intuitive wayfinding and technology-enabled service touchpoints. Guests are welcomed with traditional Saudi coffee and dates, reinforcing the cultural theme of hospitality.
The opening of the Hafawa Lounge forms part of Riyadh Air’s broader preparations for launch, offering an early glimpse of the airline’s premium travel proposition
