REPORT • SAUDI ARABIA
The Saudi market hots up
The number of f lights in Saudi Arabia has grown by more than 50% in the past five years. And this is just the start. Words: Fayaz Hussain
Gateway to the future: This rendering pictures the travellers of tomorrow arriving by smart car at the Red Sea International Airport.
REPORT
The Saudi market hots up
The number of f lights in Saudi Arabia has grown by more than 50% in the past five years. And this is just the start. Words: Fayaz Hussain
SAUDI ARABIA
Gateway to the future: This rendering pictures the travellers of tomorrow arriving by smart car at the Red Sea International Airport.
THE GRAVESTONE – saying Slim Shady – suddenly flashes red. A black coffin rises onto the stage. Wearing a face mask, American rap star Eminem steps out armed with a fake chainsaw. The crowd goes wild. This is the Soundstorm Festival in December 2024. Eminem was one of more than 150 international and local artists playing to a crowd of more than 150,000. The location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
There seems to be a major event in Saudi Arabia every week. Soundstorm is just one of several music festivals. In sport, there is the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the Esports World Cup, the inaugural World Pool Championship, the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, The WTA Finals for tennis, Longines Global Champions Tour show jumping series and UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup for elite cyclists. Saudi Arabia is also set to host the Asian Winter Games 2029, Expo 2030 and the 2034 FIFA Football World Cup.
This is one reason why the Kingdom recorded 23,612 business jet flights in 2024, up 24% from 2023’s 19,000 movements. But it is just one reason. “Strategic investments in projects such as NEOM, the Red Sea Project and Al-Ula [the ancient Arabian oasis city] and the establishment of an increasing number of high-profile entertainment and sports events have all fostered growth in tourism, entertainment and business, increasing VIP international travel into the Kingdom and boosting demand for business aviation,” says Vincent Rongier, senior vice president regional operations EMEA at Jet Aviation.
Saudi Arabia’s mega-projects include NEOM, a 26,500sqkm city and business park; the Red Sea Global tourism project and Qiddiya, an entertainment and tourism project. They are part of His Royal Highness, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s Vision 2030 project to build what the country calls “a vibrant society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation”.
Jet Aviation launched its first FBO in the country in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah in 1979. “The country has also made efforts to increase foreign investment and the influx of multinational companies establishing regional headquarters in Riyadh, further boosts activity in the industry,” Rongier tells CJI.
ABDULAZIZ BIN ABDULLAH AL-DUAILEJ President of GACA
“Civil aviation has become a leading sector driving transformation across the national economy attracting unique investment opportunities and world-class entities to the Kingdom.”
- NEOM – TWO AIRPORTS UNDER DEVELOPMENT - Two airports are being developed to serve the futuristic mega-project of NEOM. One is the existing NEOM Bay Airport and the second is the planned NEOM International Airport, intended to be a major international hub located near the coastal city of Sharma. Both airports will provide access to The Line, a linear smart city under construction, Oxagon, a centre for clean industries, Trojena, a mountain destination, the luxury island of Sindalah and places in the Gulf of Aqaba. The name NEOM was created by combining the ancient Greek word for new (neo) with the first letter of the Arabic word for future: Mustaqbal.
- AMAALA – NEW AIRPORT - A new general aviation airport is under construction at the luxury Red Sea coast destination of Amaala. Its strategic location was selected to serve three resorts in the area and is expected to handle 1m passengers each year by 2030. The desert-mirage-inspired design has been created by British international architecture firm Foster + Partners. Construction is due for completion in 2028.
- RED SEA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – NEW FBO - Jetex will operate the private aviation terminal at Red Sea International Airport. The airport is being developed to serve tourism projects on Saudi Arabia’s western coast. The first three hotels (SLS, EDITION, and InterContinental) and the golf course have opened on Shura Island. Eventually, the airport will serve 11 world-class resorts. Adel Mardini, founder and CEO of Jetex said: “We aim to transform the airport into a top-tier destination that resonates with the most discerning international and domestic travellers.”
- JEDDAH – NEW AIRPORT AND TERMINAL - Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) is undergoing significant expansion. The development includes the construction of a new passenger terminal and the addition of a fourth runway. There are also plans for a dedicated general aviation airport, however the scale and scope of this project have yet to be revealed.
- MAKKAH – NEW AIRPORT - This project involves the construction of Al Qunfudhah Airport near the city of Qunfudhah, which is about 217 miles (350km) south of Makkah – Islam’s holiest city. The new airport is expected to serve 500,000 passengers annually. The construction includes a 9,843ft (3,000m) runway.
- RIYADH – NEW AIRPORT AND TERMINAL - The General Authority of Civil Aviation has approved the development of Malham Airport; a dedicated general aviation facility located about 25 miles (40km) north of the Kingdom’s capital city Riyadh. This airport is set to serve private, charter and business aviation, alleviating pressure on the existing general aviation services at King Khalid International Airport.
- JUBAIL – NEW AIRPORT - Situated near the world’s largest petrochemical hub, Jubail’s general aviation airport will occupy an area of about 20sqkm. The facility is expected to alleviate congestion at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and cater to the demand for private and business aviation services in the region.
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Shutterstock
Flying ahead: The Kingdom recorded 23,612 business flights last year – up 24% on the previous year.
Shutterstock
Flying ahead: The Kingdom recorded 23,612 business flights last year – up 24% on the previous year.
The Saudi government has been trying to attract global companies to set up regional headquarters in the Kingdom. Its strategy is working. Some 616 firms moved in the first quarter of 2025, according to the Ministry of Investment.
High-net-worth individuals are also moving there. Henley & Partners, a global consultancy specialising in in residence and citizenship planning, says 2,400 millionaires migrated to the Saudi Arabia in 2025. This was behind only UAE, US, Italy and Switzerland.
“The demand is largely driven by growing wealth, regional business hubs and a preference for luxury travel and tourism,” says Nick Weber, regional vice president, Middle East for ExecuJet MRO Services. “The expansion of private and business aviation is fuelled by an increasing number of high-net-worth individuals supporting long-haul flights and a focus on VIP and corporate services expansion,” he says.
Growth hub: The Red Sea International Airport, and others like it, are intended to power economic growth.
NICK WEBER ExecuJet MRO Services
“The expansion of private and business aviation is fuelled by an increasing number of HNWIs supporting long-haul flights and a focus on VIP and corporate services expansion.”
Luxurious interiors are planned to pamper passengers.
Luxurious interiors are planned to pamper passengers.
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Business jets supporting Vision 2030
All these changes are great for business aviation demand, but the government – particularly its aviation regulator, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) – realises how business jets support these changes as well.
“In line with Vision 2030 and the Saudi Aviation Strategy goals, civil aviation has become a leading sector driving transformation across the national economy, attracting unique investment opportunities and world-class entities to the Kingdom,” said Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, president of GACA when it published a General Aviation Roadmap in 2024. “As we work towards these goals, it is critical we also prioritise the development of the general aviation industry in the Kingdom, which plays a vital role in supporting business activity, promoting connectivity and advancing innovation.”
GACA wants to grow the number of business jet flights from five per 10,000 inhabitants in 2021 to 24 flights by 2030. It is also working on launching six new dedicated general aviation airports and adding nine private jet terminals versus just two in 2021.
The Line in the sand: Construction of the smart linear city began in 2022.
Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud (centre) pictured at the 2021 FIA Formula 1 championship in Jeddah.
“Saudi Arabia has got to be on everybody’s radar, but it is quite early days.”
Mark Hardman, CEO, RightJet
“Regulators are looking outside of the country to learn best practices,” says Rongier. “With our long-standing global experience in infrastructure and FBO projects and operations, we are delighted to support and have welcomed visits from GACA and other regulators and developers to our facilities worldwide to bring our global infrastructure and service expertise into the Kingdom.”
You can roughly split the changes GACA is pushing through into two categories: hard infrastructure (like airports and air traffic control) and soft infrastructure (such as changing rules). In April 2025 it started allowing approved foreign operators to fly paying passengers on domestic routes (also known as cabotage).
NEOM’S TWO AIRPORTS
Two airports are under development to serve the mega-project of NEOM. One is the existing NEOM Bay Airport and the second is the planned NEOM International Airport.
FLOATING IDEAS OF THE FUTURE
This is a rendering of the floating industrial complex of Oxagon – part of the NEOM mega-project.
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“By removing the empty-leg restrictions, the new economic regulations provide more flexibility to general aviation operators, expanding and enhancing the network connectivity to the Kingdom. The increased connectivity to the Kingdom, in combination with these new rules, provide an enhanced competitive environment for existing and new general aviation investors,” says a GACA spokesperson. “We have reformed licensing rules to not only align the Kingdom’s regulation with global best practice, but ensure these measures reduce the cost for corporate jets and charter operators, providing the basis for new entrants into the market while boosting the overall competitiveness of the sector,” the spokesperson says.
While domestic operators are less keen, these changes have been welcomed by foreign carriers. Vista, which has been flying in Saudi for 15 years, was the first to be given formal approval. “The approval and recognition from GACA marks a significant milestone for Vista’s operations in the Kingdom,” said Nick van der Meer, chief operating officer, Vista at the announcement. “We are proud to support Vision 2030 and grateful to the leadership and the GACA team for making this possible.”
KING ABDULAZIZ INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
The airport’s expansion involves building a new passenger terminal and adding a fourth runway.
Planning the future of business aviation.
Other operators are keen to follow. “The Kingdom has realised, OK, we can attract more business here,” says Antonia Gilbert, chief commercial officer, MJET, a European business jet operator. “The demand is there, it is continuously increasing, we need to do something to make this easier as much as we did on the economic side and make the bureaucracy around it as comfortable as possible.”
Other soft infrastructure changes include simplifying the economic licence requirements for foreign operators and investors in maintenance and FBO services. You can see why foreign companies are excited.
Thinking big
“I do not see much growth in Europe. The indicators are just not showing that,” says Darko Cvijetnovic, CEO of MJET. “In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is driving the big growth right now because of the Vision 2030.”
The Saudi fleet has always been dominated by large cabin and VVIP aircraft and there are no signs of this changing. “The majority of our fleet is super mid-size up to the airliners. So, we are specialised on that ... a lot of business traffic from Saudi goes to Europe and east to other Middle East countries or to India. There, I think the market is looking for super mid-size and up. We have not seen so many inquiries for small jets in Saudi,” says Cvijetnovic.
Gilbert says their boutique approach fits well into the Saudi Arabia’s luxury market. “With our boutique fleet of 17 aircraft, we can cater for those needs. They [clients] are not looking for a one-fits-all solution. Every one of them has their own desires, demands and particularities and our structure is built in such a way that we can really react on each wish.”
But while there are lots of opportunities, it will take time. “Saudi Arabia has got to be on everybody’s radar, but it is quite early days,” says Mark Hardman, CEO of RightJet, who held senior roles in Middle Eastern business aviation for almost 20 years. “Probably the period is a 20-year window because building infrastructure takes time. Training takes time,” he says. He stresses the need for regulatory authorities to take a more holistic approach. “The decision makers really need to look at it holistically, as has happened elsewhere in region, and look at it in a way, almost to reverse engineer it as to where we want to be, and now how are we going to get there.”
DARKO CVIJETNOVIC CEO, MJET
“I do not see much growth in Europe. The indicators are just not showing that. In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is driving the big growth right now because of the Vision 2030.”
Eminem wowed the crowds at the Soundstorm Festival in Riyadh.
Flying the flag for business aviation at Jeddah airport.
That does not mean that Hardman is not excited about opportunities that lie ahead. “There is another sector in terms of religious tourism,” he says. Under construction is the new airport of Al Qunfudah, about 217 miles (350km) south of Makkah – Islam’s holiest city. When completed, the facility is predicted to handle 500,000 passengers each year.
“The demand for this travel will be there eternally,” says Hardman. “And on the other hand, what I would call tourism in the true sense whether it is the Red Sea, Al-Ula is going to be remarkably interesting as well.”
“On top of that, you’ve got the celebrities, the kickboxers, the music stars coming in and we’re seeing that as well,” he adds. Which takes us back to the start. If you want to book tickets, the next Soundstorm is in December with Calvin Harris, DJ Snake, Post Malone, Tyla and others confirmed.
KING SALMAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
British firm Forster + Partners is working with the Saudi authorities to develop what is expected to be one of the world’s largest airports. Covering about 22sqm (57sqkm), the airport will feature six parallel runways, several terminals and accommodate up to 100m passengers by 2030.
KING SALMAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
British firm Forster + Partners is working with the Saudi authorities to develop what is expected to be one of the world’s largest airports. Covering about 22sqm (57sqkm), the airport will feature six parallel runways, several terminals and accommodate up to 100m passengers by 2030.
