Private-jet charter prices for departures from Saudi Arabia have risen by more than 50% after Houthi attacks forced the closure of Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. A 14-seat Bombardier Global 6000 arranged by LuxJets from Al-Qassim to Geneva cost €94,000, up from about €60,000 before the disruption, as wealthy travellers and corporate executives sought alternatives to suspended commercial services.
King Khalid has been closed since 10 October, while more than 5,500 scheduled flights have reportedly been cancelled at major Saudi airports. Riyadh-based passengers with the means to leave are travelling more than 320 kilometres north to Al-Qassim, which has become the main alternative departure point for private aviation. Others are travelling overland to Bahrain or Qatar.
Private charters from Saudi Arabia to Europe are reportedly reaching $150,000, while flights to the UAE cost about $30,000-$50,000. Limited aircraft availability and increased war-risk insurance are adding to the premiums. Insurance for a one-way flight on an 18-seat jet can reach $20,000, while smaller aircraft may incur additional premiums of about $8,000. The current flow reverses an earlier Gulf security-crisis pattern, when Riyadh served as an exit hub for travellers leaving Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha.