Falcons Flight at Six Flags Qiddiya in Saudi Arabia is the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster in the world – standing more than twice the height of Big Ben at 195m
The world’s tallest roller coaster towers more than twice the height of Big Ben and can hurtle along at speeds of up to 155mph. Falcons Flight launched at the £740 million Six Flags resort in Qiddiya City on December 31.
The steel behemoth soars to 195m at its peak drop, dwarfing London’s famous Big Ben which stands at just 96m. The Six Flags resort forms part of the massive Qiddiya City development, expected to draw around 17 million visitors annually to Saudi Arabia’s Riddiyah province.
Qiddiya will also house a custom-built Formula One track, a Dragon Ball theme park, and a water park, reports the Express. Six Flags, which operates numerous theme parks across America, was the first attraction to launch in the city.
Last week’s soft opening saw Falcons Flight not only claim the title of world’s tallest roller coaster, surpassing Ohio’s Top Thrill 2 at Cedar Parks, but also become the globe’s fastest and longest.
Work kicked off in April 2023, with manufacturers Intamin confirming the final component was installed in December 2024.
YouTube creator Shawn Sanbrooke, who runs the Themepark Worldwide channel, experienced the white-knuckle ride shortly after its debut.
In his video, a visibly “emotional” Shawn declared: “That thing is absolutely incredible.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have two rides, a front row ride, and also a ride on the second row from the back, this thing is an absolute machine. The height of this, you look at it and you think, ‘It looks like a big camelback’, but honestly, when you’re up there, seeing everything around is absolutely incredible.
“I’m blown away, I just do not know how to describe every element of this. It was so exciting from the start all the way through to the end. This ride is just phenomenal.”
Shawn continued, expressing how “really special” it was to ride the colossal roller coaster during the day, taking in the mountainous landscape surrounding the theme park. He labelled the launch as a “momentous day” for thrill-seekers.
Falcons Flight isn’t the only record-smashing attraction at the newly unveiled Six Flags either. The park’s Sirocco Tower stands as the world’s tallest freestanding shot tower, reaching 145m, while the Gyrospin now claims the title of the tallest pendulum ride with a 53m swing.
Meanwhile, its Iron Rattler holds the record for being the tallest tilt coaster, standing at 63.4m. The park’s Spitfire roller coaster, soaring to 73m, is now the world’s tallest inverted triple-launch roller coaster.
Former theme park employee Shawn added: “I can’t believe this place is real. It’s making me so emotional talking about it. It really is, I can’t believe the moment is here.”
