Is my flight legal in the UAE?
A paid charter in the UAE must be flown by an operator holding an Air Operator Certificate from the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), or a foreign operator with its own regulator's equivalent and a landing permit.
- National regulator
- GCAA
- Certificate
- Air Operator Certificate (AOC)
- Private owners
- Private Operators Certificate
- Dubai permits
- Dubai Civil Aviation Authority
Who may fly you
A UAE-based commercial operator must hold an Air Operator Certificate and Operations Specifications issued by the GCAA. Private operators hold a Private Operators Certificate instead, which does not allow paid charter. Foreign aircraft on non-scheduled flights into Dubai need operators holding an operator certificate and airworthiness certificate from the GCAA or another internationally recognised authority.
The question to ask is simple: which company is the operator, and does it hold the right certificate for this aircraft? The operator may be a different company from the one selling you the flight.
Every flight we arrange is flown by a certified operator named on your quote. Our broker disclosure explains our role, and our safety page explains how we check operators.
Sources:GCAA: CAAP-08, Issuance, renewal and amendment of an Air Operator Certificate (AOC), Issue 03, 8 February 2017Dubai Legislation Portal: DCAA Administrative Resolution No. 20 of 2023 approving the conditions and procedures for issuing civil aviation permits in the Emirate of Dubai
The GCAA Air Operator Certificate
The GCAA's advisory publication CAAP-08 sets out how an AOC is issued, renewed and amended. It says commercial operators need an authority to operate under Article 6 of the Civil Aviation Law, and that commercial UAE operators must obtain an Air Operator Certificate and Operations Specifications from the GCAA. The Operations Specifications list the aircraft and the operations the operator is approved for.
The applicant must be a UAE corporate body. CAAP-08 says a Free Trade Zone trade licence is not accepted as equivalent. Fees are paid at first issue and on each anniversary, and an AOC that has lapsed for more than three months without an accepted renewal is revoked.
Private aircraft operators receive a Private Operators Certificate. That is the right certificate for an owner flying their own aircraft, not for selling flights to the public.
Tell us the dates and passengers. A specialist replies with aircraft options and an all-in price, around the clock.
Dubai: permits for charter, brokers and landings
Each emirate has its own civil aviation authority. In Dubai, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) issues permits for civil aviation activities and landing permits under Administrative Resolution No. 20 of 2023.
| Permit | What the resolution says |
|---|---|
| Non-scheduled air transport | Chartering aircraft under special contracts to carry passengers or goods is a listed activity that needs a DCAA permit. |
| Brokerage | Brokering aviation services, such as liaising with airlines on behalf of people or companies to arrange the transport of passengers, is its own listed activity. |
| Landing permit | For non-scheduled flights of private, passenger or cargo aircraft, the operator must hold an operator certificate and airworthiness certificate from the GCAA or another internationally recognised authority. |
| Validity | Activity permits last one year. Landing permits run for the period stated: one day to six months for aircraft not registered in the UAE, up to one year for UAE-registered aircraft. |
The DCAA decides applications within 10 working days. The applicant must also hold a valid commercial licence from the competent licensing authority.
What a broker does, and does not do
A broker arranges a flight on your behalf with an operator that holds the certificate. The broker does not fly the aircraft and is not the operator. Dubai's permit rules treat brokerage of aviation services as a separate activity from non-scheduled air transport.
We act as broker. The operator's name and certificate appear on your quote, and the operator is responsible for the flight, the crew and the aircraft.
How to check an operator
- 01Ask who the operator is
Get the full company name of the operator, which can differ from the brand or the seller.
- 02Ask for the AOC number
UAE operators hold a GCAA AOC. Ask for its number and the Operations Specifications that list your aircraft.
- 03Cross-check the certificate
We did not find a public GCAA list of AOC holders. UAE operators approved to fly into Europe appear with their GCAA certificate numbers on EASA's third-country operator list, which is one way to cross-check.
- 04Check a foreign operator
A foreign operator needs its own regulator's certificate and a landing permit from the emirate where it lands.
- 05Read the price
A charter is priced for the whole aircraft. A price far below other quotes is a reason to ask why.
Sources:GCAA: CAAP-08, Issuance, renewal and amendment of an Air Operator Certificate (AOC), Issue 03, 8 February 2017EASA third-country operator status report, with GCAA certificate numbers, as read on 16 October 2026Dubai Legislation Portal: DCAA Administrative Resolution No. 20 of 2023 approving the conditions and procedures for issuing civil aviation permits in the Emirate of Dubai
Questions, answered
Still deciding? A charter specialist will talk you through aircraft, airports and price, with no obligation.
Ask a specialistWho regulates private jet charter in the UAE?+
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) certifies UAE operators. Emirate authorities, such as the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, issue landing permits and activity permits in their emirate.
Can a private aircraft owner charter out their jet?+
Not on a Private Operators Certificate. Paid flights need a commercial Air Operator Certificate with the aircraft on its Operations Specifications.
Does a broker need a permit in Dubai?+
Brokering aviation services is a listed activity under DCAA Administrative Resolution No. 20 of 2023, separate from non-scheduled air transport.
How do I check a UAE operator's AOC?+
Ask the operator for its GCAA AOC number and Operations Specifications. For operators approved to fly into Europe, EASA's third-country operator list shows the GCAA certificate number.
Fares, dates and rules on this page were checked on 19 October 2026. Official fares and schedules change every season; the operator or authority named in each source has the final word.
- 1.GCAA: CAAP-08, Issuance, renewal and amendment of an Air Operator Certificate (AOC), Issue 03, 8 February 2017
- 2.Dubai Legislation Portal: DCAA Administrative Resolution No. 20 of 2023 approving the conditions and procedures for issuing civil aviation permits in the Emirate of Dubai
- 3.EASA third-country operator status report, with GCAA certificate numbers, as read on 16 October 2026
Fly with a named, certified operator.
A specialist replies around the clock with aircraft options, the operator's name and an all-in price.