Find cheap Royal Jordanian flights

Royal Jordanian (RJ) is a relatively small airline compared to many of its neighbours in the Middle East. It has a functional network regionally and to Europe with more limited offerings to both Asia and North America. But what it can’t offer in breadth of the route map it does perhaps make up for with a kind of boutique charm, with generally quite a good service. And its oneworld alliance membership makes it an airline worth giving a second look.

What to expect flying with Royal Jordanian

RJ flies somewhat under the radar as it’s often overshadowed by the much larger Middle Eastern airlines from the Gulf region. However especially for certain underserved destinations around the Middle East, it can be a very nice choice for convenience and ease. Service quality and seating are all decidedly average to just-above-average, but it all tends to work, with minimal hassle.

If you have elite status with oneworld, all the better. You’ll be afforded all the usual perks of that status while enroute with RJ, making the whole experience that much more pleasant.

Finally, RJ’s reasonably sized hub at Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport is a welcome relief when compared to behemoths such as Dubai. It’s not a perfect airport but with some interesting architecture and never overly long walks from one point to another, it is very much acceptable.

Destinations

RJ offers good coverage around its neighbourhood with service to North Africa, around the Persian Gulf, Istanbul and a number of cities in Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Its only Asia service is to Bangkok.

For Europe, it offers the usual suspects such as Rome, Frankfurt and Paris. Apart from its service to Heathrow it also flies to Stansted, which could make for a very convenient flight if you’re on that side of London.

However, the 787 wide-body service to Heathrow is the clear winner for me, especially when you compare that to BA’s cramped A320 service. RJ is the obvious winner in that contest.

Tip: Royal Jordanian is rather unique in that it serves Detroit nonstop from Amman 3 times per week (in addition to a daily Chicago). That means for otherwise difficult-to-find one-stop itineraries between Middle America and the Middle East it can offer real time savings. This is a niche case, but then again it is rather a niche airline overall.

The fleet

Royal Jordanian uses three main types of aircraft with quite a standard offer onboard each so you’ll always be fairly sure what you’re getting. On long-haul (and on some European and even regional flights) RJ uses the 787 Dreamliner and these are comfortable, modern and fuel-efficient aircraft with a lower cabin altitude and higher humidity onboard – ideal for beating jetlag. London receives a daily 787 and it’s quite a nice way to reach the Middle East.

Next down the list in terms of size is the A320 family fleet which is the backbone of its medium-haul flying, especially to Europe but also within the Middle East.

Finally there’s the Embraer ERJ family of jets (including newer, quieter E2s) which are smaller but offer a comfortable 2×2 configuration (and a properly appealing 1×2 in business class). These mostly fly shorter regional routes but can be found on longer sectors up to a couple of hours as well. Personally if I can get on an E2 instead of the larger A320 I’ll take the opportunity every time.

Onboard experience

You shouldn’t go into a Royal Jordanian flight expecting Emirates or Qatar Airways. Things are decidedly less lavish, the service is mostly good but not extraordinary, and the premium cabins quite average. Yet that doesn’t mean it’s bad at all, especially when it’s priced accordingly (as it often is).

The most important thing to note is the 2x2x2 business class on the 787 flights, which mean direct aisle access is not guaranteed. However if travelling with a friend or partner, I might even prefer this setup in order to be able to have a chat.

Long-haul economy class

Economy class on Royal Jordanian’s long-haul aircraft is comfortable – as much as economy class can be really. The 787 Dreamliner economy cabin configured as standard with a 3x3x3 layout does mean a relatively narrow seat, but RJ makes up for this with enough legroom that you don’t feel overly squeezed.

Tasty hot meals, a full bar, pillows and blankets all make for a comfortable experience on longer flights. And of course you can count on a personal entertainment screen with a perfectly acceptable selection of films, series and a good moving map for keeping track of your progress.

Long-haul business class

As mentioned earlier RJ’s 787 business class is not the most private of business classes because if you’re travelling alone you are likely to have a seat-mate. However that’s really the only serious negative. Seats are comfortable, they lie flat, and the amenities offered such as blankets, amenity kits all compete well with rival airlines.

Food and drink also tend to be quite good, with a strong selection of wines (and they don’t go cheap with the bubbles either). Menus are extensive enough that you’re unlikely to go hungry.

European & regional economy class

RJ’s economy class offering on its European and regional flights may be its best selling point, especially when compared to what most European airlines would offer on similar flights of around 4 hours or less.

Seats are a bit outdated, but mostly in a good way. They are well-padded and comfortable (unlike more modern seats which are often slim and stiff), with good headrests and legroom. You can expect a hot meal to be served along with a full drinks service. I enjoy it as it feels like a bit of a throwback to an era when economy service was a more dignified experience.

Tip: The inflight entertainment is mostly an outdated system so while you will find individual screens on most European flights, I wouldn’t count on them working. As always, bring your own backup entertainment along if that’s important to you.

European & regional business class

Again this is a bit of a throwback experience, but compared to European airlines the medium- and short-haul business class is stupendous. Forget economy seats dressed up as “club”, on RJ you’ll find comfortable recliners with plenty of extra space. On A320s these are arranged 2×2 and on the ERJ’s it’s 1×2 – and that solo seat on the ERJ is a fantastic spot to be indeed.

As you’ll have come to expect on RJ the food and drink service is also very nice – with an extensive menu that may once again shock you if you’re accustomed to the European carriers. On flights of around 4 hours on average this is a standout product.

The Amman hub

Amman’s Queen Alia International offers a generally very smooth experience whether arriving and departing or transiting. The limited number of flights that Royal Jordanian operates at its hub simply means less in the way of queues at every step along the way, and walking distances are manageable. Shops and restaurants operate around the clock to cater to a number of middle-of-the-night departures. As a transit point with minimal hassle, I can recommend it.

Wi-Fi

RJ has had no inflight Wi-Fi until recently, increasingly a major strike against them for those of us who want to remain productive in the air. However in early 2024 the airline announced that it will be installing fast Viasat Wi-Fi on all of its new deliveries including Embraer E2s, new A320s and 787-9’s, with a plan to retrofit the older 787-8 aircraft as well. Good news indeed.

Loyalty programme

Royal Jordanian’s Royal Club is mostly used by people who frequent RJ itself and is not generally recommendable for those based elsewhere. Because of RJ’s oneworld alliance membership it’s not usually going to be necessary to sign up, as you can credit points to the likes of BA or Finnair, etc, and receive your usual elite perks as well.

The one exception may be that if you’re seeking elite status with a oneworld airline, RJ has begun a novel programme in which members can buy their way (at least partly) up to certain elite status levels. It could be worth looking into for some people, but I’m giving it a miss.

Amman stopover programme

RJ has a new stopover offering called the Zuwar Stopover Programme. If you have a minimum transit time of 8 hours (6 hours for business class) and not more than 24 hours. It can be a fantastic way to see some of Jordan’s incredible sights such as Petra or the Dead Sea while enroute to your destination.

In some case, these include complimentary hotel stays and tours of the attraction in question. Definitely worth looking into if you have a longer connection, and this might even be worth adding an overnight stop for.