Jazeera, BeOnd Aviation To Launch Charter Operations In Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has awarded two National Charter Air Carrier tenders to alliances led by Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways and luxury leisure airline BeOnd Aviation.

The announcement, made Dec. 10, supports the Aviation Program under the Kingdom’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy, which is transforming Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector to align with Vision 2030.

The new charter services from Jazeera Airways and BeOnd Aviation are expected to enhance capacity for specialized travel segments, including Hajj and Umrah groups, as well as private business travelers.

“This represents an entry into Saudi Arabia’s next chapter of experiential luxury travel,” said Tero Taskila, founder and CEO of BeOnd Aviation. “Our Saudi vision will be a cornerstone of BeOnd’s multi-destination strategy, connecting cultures, economies, and people through beautifully simple travel.”

Taskila confirmed that BeOnd plans to base and operate aircraft within the Kingdom, establishing new luxury travel gateways aligned with Saudi Arabia’s goal of attracting 150 million annual visitors by 2030.

Awad Alsulami, GACA’s executive vice president for economic policies and logistics services, said the Aviation Program is “reshaping” the aviation sector through increased competition and new investment.

“Opening the charter market to new operators is driving competition and attracting additional investment into the sector,” he said.

The two alliances were selected through a competitive tender process assessing regulatory compliance, commercial feasibility, and alignment with national aviation goals. While both alliances include foreign investment, they maintain majority Saudi ownership as required by law.

GACA projects that by 2030, the charter operators will serve 48 domestic and international destinations, add approximately six million seats annually, operate a combined fleet of 21 aircraft, and create around 1,000 jobs.