GACA Opens Saudi Arabia Domestic Aviation Market to International Charter Flight Operators

February 04, 2025

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced in a press release today the opening of the domestic private aviation market to international operators by removing cabotage restrictions on foreign on-demand charter flights within the Kingdom.

 The new policy, effective May 1, 2025, will allow foreign charter operators to apply for permission to operate domestic flights, following specific requirements set by GACA.

 “GACA is unlocking new opportunities for the global aviation industry, by removing restrictions on charter flight businesses to operate domestically in the Kingdom,” said GACA General Manager for General Aviation Imtiyaz Manzary.

 “This regulatory decision supports GACA’s roadmap to establish Saudi Arabia as a general aviation hub, alongside an unprecedented infrastructure program to establish new private airports and terminals across the Kingdom,” he added.

 According to the release, the removal of cabotage restrictions marks an important step in GACA’s strategy to enhance competition, attract foreign investment, and provide greater flexibility for operators in the general aviation industry.

 GACA’s General Aviation Roadmap was launched during the Future Aviation Forum in May 2024, including a comprehensive transformation program to develop the general aviation sector into a $2 billion industry by 2030, supporting 35,000 jobs.

 The roadmap aligns infrastructure planning and regulations across the sector, delivering six dedicated business aviation airports and a further nine dedicated business aviation terminals. It will also increase the number of business aviation Fixed-Base Operators and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul capacity for business jets.

 "Saudi Arabia’s business jet sector achieved a record 24% jump in flight volumes in 2024 to 23,612 flights, with domestic jet flights rising 26% to 9,206 and international jet flights rising 15% to 14,406," said the release.