VistaJet becomes first foreign operator to fly within Saudi Arabia

VistaJet is the first foreign operator to fly domestically in Saudi Arabia.

VistaJet has become the first foreign operator to offer flights domestically within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The authorisation was issued by Saudi’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and marks a key moment in the Kingdom’s aviation roadmap, part of the government’s Vision 2030 to open up the country to tourism and business.

VistaJet clients can additionally reach any point on the globe non-stop from the Kingdom with its industry-leading fleet of Global 7500 aircraft and soon Global 8000 jets.

“The approval and recognition from GACA marks a significant milestone for Vista’s operations in the Kingdom,” says Nick van der Meer, chief operating officer at Vista.

“By expanding our domestic capabilities, we are not only strengthening our regional presence, but also amplifying the efficiency of our global fleet. We are proud to support Vision 2030 and grateful to the leadership and the GACA team for making this possible.”

Saudi Arabia has long been a key market for VistaJet, which claims a 32% increase in VistaJet Program Members in the Kingdon year-over-year in the first half of 2025.

“We are delighted to be working with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and GACA, reinforcing our commitment to offering clients reliable, flexible and trusted flying solutions through our global and regional infrastructure,” says Mazen Obaid, president, Middle East at Vista.

Vista flies clients to more than 200 countries on the Vista Members’ fleet of more than 270 business jets. It offers a range of aircraft types, notably in the super-midsize and global range. 

This announcement follows Vista successfully closing an Equity and Term Loan B transaction totaling $1.3 billion in the first quarter of this year.