Missiles and attack drones targeted the United Arab Emirates at the outset of the Iran war, sparking panic among executives, tourists, and expatriates in Dubai. Private aviation firms faced a surge in evacuation requests, with Bitlux founder Kyle Patel reporting over 500 in initial hours.
Charter prices escalated sharply due to limited aircraft availability and airport closures in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha. A long-range flight out of the region, normally around $150,000, reached roughly $700,000 for one client, according to Patel. Quotes ranged from $300,000 to $700,000, with some operators demanding an extra $70,000 mid-transaction for a Gulfstream IV to Nice, France, totaling $260,000.
Evacuees drove to Oman or Saudi Arabia for departures from Muscat or Riyadh amid UAE airspace restrictions. Insurers noted family-of-four charters spiking to $250,000, doubling prior rates. From Riyadh to Porto, Portugal, costs for 16-passenger jets doubled to 200,000 euros ($232,000), per JET-VIP CEO Altay Kula, citing scarcity, repositioning, and risk assessments.
Vimana Private Jets CEO Ameerh Naran reported Gulf-to-Europe flights at 150,000-200,000 euros. Air Charter Service’s Middle East CEO Elie Hanna said most flights departed Oman, with Muscat overloaded. Brokers like Air Charter Service arranged over 10 evacuations, mainly via Oman after Hatta border crossings taking 3-4 hours.
Patel accused some operators of exploiting panic beyond legitimate costs like permits and insurance. Kula countered that increases reflected operational realities, not speculation. Emirates and others resumed select flights as DXB and DWC partially reopened.