The latest order, signed at one of the aviation industry’s most-watched air shows, folds together Saudi ambition, European engineering and US technology in a package worth well over a billion euros.
Riyadh’s new airline makes a statement
Riyadh Air, created in 2023 as part of Saudi Arabia’s “Vision 2030” economic plan, wants to turn the kingdom’s capital into a major hub for global air travel. The carrier has positioned itself as a premium airline, aiming to compete with established Gulf giants on long-haul and regional routes.
At the Dubai Airshow on 18 November 2025, the airline confirmed a major piece of that strategy: an order for 120 LEAP‑1A engines from CFM International, the joint venture owned by France’s Safran Aircraft Engines and US-based GE Aerospace.
Riyadh Air’s order for 120 LEAP‑1A engines is estimated by sector analysts at around €1.4 billion for the firm engines alone, placing Safran in a commanding position in the narrow-body market.
The engines will power 60 Airbus A321neo aircraft, one of the most popular single-aisle jets currently in production. For Riyadh Air, the deal locks in fuel-efficient propulsion for its future fleet. For Safran, it reinforces a leadership position in a segment that will shape airline economics for decades.
Safran and CFM: a transatlantic powerhouse
CFM International has quietly become one of the most influential names in civil aviation. Set up in the 1970s by Safran and GE, the joint venture built its reputation with the CFM56, which went on to become the best-selling jet engine in history.
The LEAP family is the successor to that programme, bringing in new materials, digital monitoring and cleaner performance. By securing Riyadh Air’s business, CFM extends its dominance on the A320neo family, where it competes head-to-head with Pratt & Whitney.
For Safran, the Saudi order adds another major contract to an already dense backlog. With thousands of LEAP engines already delivered and around 10,000 still on order, the French group can plan its industrial activity years ahead, from plants in Villaroche and Saint-Quentin in France to assembly lines in Durham in the United States.
Leap‑1a: efficiency first, noise and emissions down
LEAP stands for Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion, and that name reflects the marketing pitch: more thrust per kilogram of fuel, less impact on the environment, and quieter operations for airports and nearby residents.
➡️ Heating: the ideal temperature recommended for winter 2025
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The LEAP‑1A, dedicated to the Airbus A320neo family, builds on several innovations:
- Lower fuel burn: roughly 15% less fuel than the previous CFM56 generation, based on airline feedback and independent sector estimates.
- Lower CO₂ emissions: the same 15% reduction translates directly into smaller carbon bills for carriers bound by climate regulations.
- Reduced noise: optimised nacelles and a larger fan diameter cut perceived noise levels, a key factor for airports under pressure from local residents.
- Advanced materials: 3D‑woven composite fan blades and casings deliver high strength at lower weight.
- Heat-resistant ceramics: CMC (ceramic matrix composite) parts in the hot section run at higher temperatures without degrading, boosting efficiency.
For operations in the Gulf, another feature stands out. CFM has developed a durability kit for the high-pressure turbine, designed to withstand abrasive sand, intense heat and abrupt temperature swings typical of desert airports. Riyadh Air will be one of the high-profile testbeds for that package at scale.
Key technical benchmarks
While airlines negotiate prices individually and keep details confidential, the technical envelope of the LEAP‑1A is widely known in the industry.
| Characteristic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fuel burn | Approx. −15% vs. CFM56 |
| CO₂ emissions | Approx. −15% vs. CFM56-equipped aircraft |
| Fan diameter | 1.98 metres |
| Engine weight | About 2,900 kg |
| Thrust range | Roughly 15,000–35,000 pounds, depending on variant |
| Core technologies | 3D‑woven composites, CMC hot-section parts, optimised nacelles |
| Monitoring | Real-time health monitoring and predictive maintenance |
| Assembly sites | France and United States |
A contract comfortably above €1.4 billion
Safran has not published an official price tag for the Riyadh Air order, which is standard practice in commercial aviation. Yet benchmark contracts from 2018 and later give a sense of scale. Sector estimates put a single LEAP‑1A engine at around €12 million, depending on configuration and service package.
On that basis, 120 firm engines would be worth roughly €1.4 billion before adding spares, long-term maintenance and training, pushing the full value of the agreement well past that headline figure.
In reality, deals of this size rarely involve only the hardware. Airlines typically negotiate comprehensive support plans that stretch over many years and thousands of flight hours. These packages may cover:
- Spare engines and critical components
- On-site technical support and troubleshooting
- Access to digital monitoring platforms and data analysis
- Training for airline mechanics and flight crews
- Overhaul and repair services under “power by the hour” contracts
For Safran and GE, long-term service revenues are at least as strategic as engine sales themselves. Once an airline chooses a propulsion system, switching mid-fleet is costly and complex, which locks in business for the life of the aircraft.
Riyadh air’s hub ambitions
The engine order also sheds light on Saudi Arabia’s transport strategy. Vision 2030 aims to diversify the economy away from oil, and aviation is one of the central pillars. The government plans to attract 150 million visitors a year by the end of the decade, connecting tourism projects, business travel and religious journeys to Mecca and Medina.
Riyadh Air is expected to operate alongside the existing flag carrier Saudia, with a more premium positioning and a focus on connecting Asia, Europe and Africa through the kingdom’s capital. A fleet of new A321neo aircraft equipped with LEAP‑1A engines offers flexibility for dense regional routes and thinner long-haul services using narrow-bodies.
For passengers, that combination means quieter cabins, better fuel efficiency and potentially more direct routes as airlines stretch the range of single-aisle jets.
Safran’s broader strategic gains
The Riyadh Air win confirms a trend that benefits Safran well beyond this single contract. The global narrow-body market, dominated by the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX families, is expected to generate demand for tens of thousands of engines over the next two decades.
On Airbus aircraft, CFM competes with Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan. On the Boeing side, the LEAP‑1B is the sole engine choice for the 737 MAX, giving Safran and GE a guaranteed share of that segment. Each new airline campaign, like the one in Saudi Arabia, feeds a larger installed base and, with it, a future stream of maintenance work.
With more than 4,000 LEAP engines already delivered and about 1,700 Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft flying with the type, Safran’s industrial facilities are working near record pace.
That workload also supports thousands of high‑skilled jobs in France and partner countries, making contracts like Riyadh Air’s politically sensitive as well as commercially significant.
How airlines actually earn money from “saving 15%”
Fuel can represent up to a third of an airline’s operating costs, depending on oil prices. Cutting consumption by about 15% on a short- or medium-haul network has a direct effect on margins, especially for a new carrier building its business model from scratch.
A simple scenario: a single A321neo flying around 3,000 hours a year might burn several thousand tonnes of fuel annually. Shaving off 15% quickly translates into millions of dollars saved over the life of the aircraft. When multiplied across a 60‑plane fleet, the sums become large enough to justify the upfront engine investment and the complexity of introducing new technologies.
There is also a regulatory angle. As carbon pricing schemes tighten in Europe and other regions, lower emissions per seat can reduce the cost of flying into tightly regulated markets, giving Riyadh Air a competitive edge on some routes.
Key terms passengers often hear but rarely decode
What “neo” and “leap” actually mean
For travellers reading aircraft types on boarding passes, the jargon can be confusing. Two labels matter in this case:
- A321neo: Airbus’s “new engine option” version of its A321, featuring more efficient engines, aerodynamic tweaks and cabin improvements.
- LEAP‑1A: the specific CFM engine certified for the A320neo family, distinct from the LEAP‑1B on Boeing 737 MAX jets.
Combined, they allow airlines to fly more passengers with less fuel, which helps routes stay profitable at lower ticket prices, or make premium products sustainable on long, thin routes.
Risks and challenges behind the glossy figures
Advanced engines also bring challenges. New materials like CMCs are costly to produce and can be tricky to repair. High production rates strain supply chains. Any design issue can ripple across hundreds of aircraft worldwide, grounding jets and forcing airlines into expensive substitutions.
Engine makers now lean heavily on real-time data—so‑called health monitoring—to catch anomalies early. Thousands of parameters are tracked on each flight, from temperatures to vibration patterns. This helps plan maintenance before parts fail, but it also requires solid cybersecurity and careful handling of sensitive operational data.
For Safran and GE, the Riyadh Air contract is both an opportunity and a test: a chance to showcase LEAP‑1A performance in harsh desert conditions at scale, and a reminder that long-term success rests on reliability as much as on impressive press releases and headline numbers.
