(MUNICH) Lufthansa will restore non-stop service on the Munich–Riyadh route in the winter 2025/26 timetable, deploying the Airbus A350-900 three times per week from the week of October 26, 2025, after an eight-year pause since 2017. Flights are timed for Munich connections, with 293 seats across Business, Premium Economy, and Economy.
This restart is set under flight numbers LH640/LH641, with the first eastbound typically cited as Sunday, October 26, 2025, and the first westbound as Monday, October 27, 2025. Trade outlets note this variation reflects the winter schedule roll rather than different plans for the inaugural week. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the timing supports same-day links across Europe and North America through Munich’s morning and midday banks.
Lufthansa confirmed the aircraft choice and frequency, calling the Airbus A350-900 “one of the world’s most modern long-haul aircraft,” and highlighting “ideal connections” through Munich. The relaunch also marks the carrier’s 65th year in Saudi Arabia; the route last operated in 2017.
Schedule and aircraft details
The filed pattern shows:
- Munich → Riyadh (LH640)
- Departs 21:45 on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday
- Arrives 04:50 the following day
- Riyadh → Munich (LH641)
- Departs 06:25 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
- Arrives 10:25
An overnight eastbound arrival before dawn in Riyadh and an early westbound from RUH line up with Munich connections. Lufthansa lists a standard A350-900 layout of 293 seats over three cabins.
A sample roundtrip Economy fare of 1,495 SAR appeared in trade media; prices will vary by date and booking class.
Service is planned 3x weekly year-round at launch. Bookings are live via Lufthansa’s website, app, GDSs, and travel agencies as winter 2025/26 inventory opens. The flights appear as LH640/LH641 in the carrier’s late-evening and morning long-haul waves at Munich.
Market context and traveler impact
The Munich–Riyadh relaunch comes as the Lufthansa Group cites more than 120 weekly flights to the Middle East in its winter plan. With the added link, group departures touching Saudi Arabia total about 22–25 weekly across Lufthansa, ITA Airways, and Eurowings, depending on final schedule cuts.
Trade reporting quotes the group’s aim to lift capacity in the Kingdom by “around 50 percent” compared with a prior baseline once the new connection is active.
Group winter 2025/26 footprint within the Kingdom (summary):
– Lufthansa
– Daily Riyadh–Frankfurt
– Daily Dammam–Frankfurt
– New 3x weekly Munich–Riyadh
– ITA Airways (Group affiliate)
– Five weekly Riyadh–Rome
– Three weekly Jeddah–Rome
– Eurowings
– Seven weekly flights combined from Jeddah to Berlin, Cologne, and Stuttgart
Industry outlets link demand-side support to major Saudi events such as Riyadh Season, Expo 2030 planning, and the 2034 FIFA Men’s World Cup build-up. These events are cited as factors underpinning the expansion of air capacity.
Practical travel impacts:
– The 21:45 departure from Munich lets passengers work a full business day in Germany or across Europe before flying.
– The 04:50 arrival into RUH positions travelers for early-morning meetings in Riyadh.
– The 06:25 return from Riyadh arriving Munich at 10:25 allows onward intra-Europe and transatlantic connections the same day.
Travel documents and formalities
Lufthansa’s announcement did not include policy changes for visas or entry rules. Travelers should continue to follow Saudi visa rules and Germany’s Schengen requirements independently of the airline schedule.
- Official guidance on entry to Germany, including Schengen visa categories and general instructions, is available from the German Federal Foreign Office: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/visa-service
- Standard minimum connection times at Munich apply.
- Passengers who leave the international transit area must meet Schengen entry rules; the new route does not change those requirements.
Outlook, verification, and what to watch
Multiple trade publications and Aviation Week’s routes update reported the same core details:
– Start in the week of October 26, 2025
– Operation with the Airbus A350-900
– Three weekly frequencies
– Restoration of a link last flown in 2017
Minor differences on the precise inaugural date reflect the eastbound vs westbound pattern at the winter change, not a disagreement about the first operating week.
From a planning perspective:
– The route is positioned as a year-round link at launch.
– Any frequency adjustments later will depend on performance and Saudi demand tied to major events.
– Airlines typically finalize winter timetables in the weeks before late October; timings and day-of-week patterns may be tweaked.
– Schedules remain subject to change; trade outlets are expected to update flight times, rotations, or additional operating days if Lufthansa modifies its plan.
For businesses and families, the return of a non-stop Munich–Riyadh service:
– Restores a direct link that reduces travel time and removes change-of-plane hassles.
– Reintroduces a hub-to-capital option for travelers in Bavaria, southern Germany, Austria, northern Italy, and parts of Central Europe that use Munich as their main gateway.
– Leverages Munich’s hub credentials—Lufthansa cites it as a Skytrax five-star rated transfer point—to emphasize transfer quality.
Important traveler reminder:
Air service changes do not alter visa planning. No changes to Saudi entry policy or Schengen rules were announced. Book flights only after checking entry permissions for your nationality and purpose of trip via official channels. This also applies to those transiting onward to the United States, Canada, or other destinations.
Product and network role
The product will be familiar to long-haul regulars on Lufthansa: a three-cabin A350-900 with 293 seats in the airline’s published configuration.
Network role highlights:
– The evening long-haul push from Munich remains central to Lufthansa’s design.
– The early arrival bank in Munich feeds mid-morning departures across Europe and to North America.
– Published weekly rhythm on launch: LH640 on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday nights to Riyadh; LH641 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday mornings back to Munich.
This pattern anchors the restart and gives travelers a clear weekly rhythm as winter begins.
This Article in a Nutshell
Lufthansa restores Munich–Riyadh nonstop in winter 2025/26 with Airbus A350-900, three weekly rotations from October 26. Timed for Munich connections, the A350’s 293 seats serve business and leisure travelers. The route revival, paused since 2017, supports hub connectivity, regional events, and a roughly 50% capacity lift to Saudi Arabia for the group.
