As the global aviation community prepares for Dubai Airshow 2025, Vista, the world’s leading private aviation group headquartered in Dubai has reported another period of growth across the Middle East. The results underscore the accelerating expansion of its regional operations and reinforce its position as the GCC’s most trusted private aviation partner.
Vista delivered a record first half of 2025, with Program hours sold in the Middle East rising 48 percent year-on-year and add-on hours increasing 111 percent. This strong momentum set the foundation for continued growth through the remainder of the year.
Building on that record first half, Vista maintained its trajectory in the third quarter. Flight hours rose 7 percent and flights increased 11 percent compared with Q3 2024, driven in part by the growing contribution of Vista’s Saudi operations following the Group’s new domestic certification earlier this year. Jeddah, in particular, recorded a 37 percent surge in flight activity during the quarter. Across the wider GCC, Oman and the UAE each saw 12 percent growth in Q3. Within the UAE, Abu Dhabi stood out with a 54 percent increase in flight hours during the first half of the year, underscoring the Emirates’ growing importance as a regional aviation hub. Meanwhile, Bahrain recorded a 24 percent rise in flight hours over the same period, reflecting the expanding role of private aviation across the region’s leading business and investment centers.
Since obtaining Saudi domestic certification in August, Vista has experienced strong demand from regional and international business leaders seeking greater connectivity within the Kingdom. The certification made VistaJet the first global private aviation company authorized to operate domestic routes in Saudi Arabia, a regulatory milestone that enhances its ability to connect the GCC’s most dynamic markets with greater speed, comfort and efficiency.
“Our expansion across the Middle East is testament to how private aviation has evolved from a symbol of luxury to a strategic enabler of business, connectivity and investment,” said Mazen Obaid, President, Middle East, Vista. “From achieving domestic certification in Saudi Arabia to supporting the UAE’s global business ecosystem, Vista continues to deliver operational strength and reliability that no other operator can match.”
With more than 15 years of operations in the region, Vista’s strategy for 2030 focuses on three key pillars shaping the next era of private travel:
• Seamless connectivity: Expanded regional and domestic routing across the GCC, providing clients faster access between business and lifestyle destinations such as Dubai, Riyadh and Bahrain.
• Sustainable growth: Vista is shaping the future of private travel, through a commitment to focusing on our Members’ needs. Our model has always been built around customer-centric innovation, from our subscription-based Program that offer flexibility and value, to our floating fleet, which allows us to optimize aircraft globally and ensure availability wherever our Members need to fly. At the same time, sustainability remains central to everything we do. To date, Vista has contracted over 43 million litres of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) — equivalent to 25 Olympic-sized swimming pools or 23.5 flights to the moon (based on a 25 percent blend). The company has also offset more than 2.2 million tonnes of emissions on behalf of its clients and publishes transparent data through annual Greenhouse Gas Accounting Reports and TCFD-aligned disclosures.
• Digital and in-flight innovation: Vista continues to redefine the in-flight experience with deeper technology integration, real-time operator schedules and proprietary pricing algorithms through its XO Marketplace. Meanwhile, Vista’s recent partnership with industry-leading Gogo brings the next-generation Gogo Galileo broadband connectivity system to the Vista Members’ fleet, setting a new global standard for high-speed, reliable inflight connectivity, ensuring productivity and communication remain uninterrupted, anywhere in the world, including while in the air.
Vista’s Dubai headquarters continues to serve as a strategic hub for its global operations, connecting the Middle East’s fast-growing private aviation market with Europe, the U.S. and Asia. The UAE remains one of the Group’s most active markets, driven by a combination of wealth migration, rising corporate travel demand and global investor activity centered in Dubai. In an increasingly competitive landscape, Vista continues to set the benchmark for private aviation through:
• The largest on demand global fleet, ensuring consistent availability and reliability.
• Unmatched multi-destination flexibility, connecting clients seamlessly across continents.
• A proven record of regional innovation and growth, supported by over 15 years of operational excellence in the UAE and over 20 years globally.
At the Dubai Airshow 2025, Vista will showcase its latest service innovations, sustainability initiatives and in-flight connectivity advancements, illustrating how the Group continues to shape the future of private travel across the Middle East and beyond.
“Private aviation today is not simply about luxury, it’s about creating seamless, sustainable and connected mobility,” added Obaid. “As the GCC accelerates its economic diversification, Vista is proud to be the trusted partner powering that progress.”
Vista’s Sleep Program
VistaJet’s Sleep Program, a science-based approach to improving rest and recovery during long-haul travel, was created in partnership with longevity expert Dr. Peter Attia and supported by VistaJet nutritionists and specially trained Cabin Hosts. Responding to the rise in multi–time-zone flights and growing concerns about poor sleep quality, the program uses evidence-based circadian management, light and temperature control and personalized nutrition to help passengers achieve restorative sleep before, during and after their flight. The initiative supports everyone from business leaders to elite athletes, as well as families and pets and extends beyond the aircraft through VistaJet’s Private World network of global wellness destinations offering tailored sleep-enhancing experiences.
Altogether, the Sleep Program represents VistaJet’s commitment to making travel a restorative, performance-boosting experience both in the air and upon arrival.
