Group charter flights in Saudi Arabia
One aircraft for the whole group: a company offsite, an incentive trip, a wedding party or a tour. Saudi operators fly large jets for up to 12, ATR turboprops for 44 to 70 and Airbus A320s in layouts of 20 to 78 seats.
- Up to 12
- Gulfstream G450
- 44 to 70
- ATR 42 or ATR 72
- 20 to 78
- Airbus A320, by layout
- Priced
- Per aircraft
What a group charter is
You hire the whole aircraft for your group and set the route and timing. Up to about 12 people fit a large jet such as the Gulfstream G450. Larger groups fly on an ATR turboprop with 44 or 70 seats, or an Airbus A320 in a layout of 20 to 78 seats, flown by Riyadh-based operators such as Alpha Star and Sky Prime under a GACA licence.
Saudi Arabia's charter operators fly airliners as well as business jets. Five Airbus A320s and three ATR turboprops are on the GACA list, all based in Riyadh.
Group charter is private jet hire scaled up: one customer, one aircraft, your schedule. The headcount and the bags decide the aircraft. For up to about 12, a heavy jet such as the G450 keeps everyone in one cabin.
Above that, the A320s on the list are in VIP layouts of 20 to 78 seats, and Alpha Star's ATR 42 and ATR 72 seat 44 and 70. The ATRs give a smaller cabin when the group does not fill an A320.
For a group too large for these cabins, an airliner in airline seating is needed. We source it from an airline and name the operator on your quote before you sign.
Sources:GACA (Saudi Arabia): operator certificates and fleets, compiled by Altivo from GACA announcements and operator statements (read 19 October 2026)Wikipedia: Sky Prime Aviation (main base King Khalid International, fleet table as of April 2018)AIN, 6 December 2016: Sky Prime awarded Part 121 licence to operate high-end charter in Saudi ArabiaAIN, 21 May 2014: Alpha Star, Riyadh-based charter operator with a VIP Airbus fleet and a Saudi air operator certificate
Which aircraft for your group
| Group size | Aircraft on the Saudi list | Who flies it |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 7 | Hawker 400XP (7 seats) | Saudia Private Aviation, five aircraft in Jeddah |
| Up to 10 | Dassault Falcon 2000 (10 seats) | NasJet |
| Up to 12 | Gulfstream G450 (12 seats) | Sky Prime (four) and Alpha Star (two) |
| 44 or 70 | ATR 42 (44 seats) or ATR 72 (70 seats) | Alpha Star |
| 20 to 78 | Airbus A320, depending on layout | Alpha Star (four) and Sky Prime (one) |
| Larger groups | Airliner in airline seating | Sourced from an airline and named on your quote |
Seat counts are from the licence data behind our operator pages and vary by cabin layout. In 2018, Sky Prime listed its A320 with 39 passenger seats.
Sources:GACA (Saudi Arabia): operator certificates and fleets, compiled by Altivo from GACA announcements and operator statements (read 19 October 2026)Wikipedia: Sky Prime Aviation (main base King Khalid International, fleet table as of April 2018)
Tell us the dates and passengers. A specialist replies with aircraft options and an all-in price, around the clock.
The rules that apply to a Saudi charter
- The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) licenses charter operators. Sky Prime, for example, was awarded a Part 121 licence to operate high-end charter, as AIN reported in December 2016, and Alpha Star holds a Saudi air operator certificate.
- Every operator on this page is on our list of GACA certificate holders, and the operator flying your group is named on your quote.
- GACA processes landing permits. The official lead time is three business days (Sunday to Thursday), though permits can often be obtained at shorter notice.
- Domestic flights within Saudi Arabia are not a problem, but international flights must arrive and leave through an airport of entry. Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam are all 24-hour airports of entry.
- Your charter agreement sets the terms for changes, cancellation and delay for the whole aircraft, so read it before you sign.
Sources:AIN, 6 December 2016: Sky Prime awarded Part 121 licence to operate high-end charter in Saudi ArabiaAIN, 21 May 2014: Alpha Star, Riyadh-based charter operator with a VIP Airbus fleet and a Saudi air operator certificateGACA (Saudi Arabia): operator certificates and fleets, compiled by Altivo from GACA announcements and operator statements (read 19 October 2026)Universal Weather: business jet destination guide, Saudi Arabia (published December 2019, updated April 2022)
Saudi airports for charter aircraft
| Airport | Runway | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| King Khalid International, Riyadh (OERK) | 4,205 m | About 35 km north of central Riyadh. Open 24 hours, airport of entry. Slots required. Private Aviation Terminal since December 2018 |
| King Abdulaziz International, Jeddah (OEJN) | 4,000 m | About 24 km north of central Jeddah. Open 24 hours, airport of entry. Slots required |
| King Fahd International, Dammam (OEDF) | Two of 4,000 m | About 31 km north-west of downtown Dammam. Open 24 hours, airport of entry. Prior permission and slots required |
| Abha Regional (OEAB) | 3,350 m | About 18 km north-east of Abha. Customs available, but not an airport of entry |
| Gassim, Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz (OEGS) | 3,000 m | About 25 km west of Buraidah. Customs available, but not an airport of entry |
| Tabuk, Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz (OETB) | 3,350 m | About 7 km south-east of Tabuk. Customs available, but not an airport of entry |
| Hofuf, Al Ahsa (OEAH) | 3,060 m | About 18 km south-west of Hofuf. Customs available, but not an airport of entry |
Handling is mandatory at Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Smaller airports often have operating curfews that are not extended except for some VIP or medical flights, so late returns need planning.
Sources:AC-U-KWIK airport record, OERK (runway, hours, slots, distance)GACA, December 2018: Private Aviation Terminal inaugurated at King Khalid International, RiyadhAC-U-KWIK airport record, OEJN (runway, hours, slots, distance)AC-U-KWIK airport record, OEDF (runways, hours, prior permission, distance)AC-U-KWIK airport record, OEAB Abha Regional (read 19 October 2026)AC-U-KWIK airport record, OEGS Gassim, Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz (read 19 October 2026)AC-U-KWIK airport record, OETB Tabuk, Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz (read 19 October 2026)AC-U-KWIK airport record, OEAH Hofuf, Al Ahsa (read 19 October 2026)Universal Weather: business jet destination guide, Saudi Arabia (published December 2019, updated April 2022)
How a group charter is priced
- You pay for the whole aircraft, not per seat. Divide the price by the headcount to compare it with airline fares.
- Large jets charter at about SAR 44,690 to SAR 69,550 per flight hour, before airport, handling and permit charges.
- A320 and ATR charters are quoted per trip for the whole aircraft.
- A one-way trip may include the cost of the aircraft flying back empty.
How to book a group charter
- 01Share the trip
Dates, route, headcount, bags and any equipment, such as event staging or sports kit.
- 02Compare operators
We check which GACA-certified operators have the right aircraft free and confirm permits, slots and handling.
- 03Sign and pay
You sign a charter agreement for the whole aircraft, with the operator named, and pay before departure.
Large aircraft on the Saudi charter list
From 12-seat jets to A320s and ATRs.
Saudi operators of large aircraft
GACA certificate holders flying airliners and large jets.
Riyadh. Four A320s, an ATR 42, two ATR 72s, G450s and Hawker 900XPs
Riyadh, based at King Khalid International. An A320 and four G450s
Riyadh. Falcon 2000
Jeddah. Hawker 400XPs and a Praetor 500
Sources:GACA (Saudi Arabia): operator certificates and fleets, compiled by Altivo from GACA announcements and operator statements (read 19 October 2026)Wikipedia: Sky Prime Aviation (main base King Khalid International, fleet table as of April 2018)
Questions, answered
Still deciding? A charter specialist will talk you through aircraft, airports and price, with no obligation.
Ask a specialistHow many people fit on a charter aircraft in Saudi Arabia?+
A Gulfstream G450 seats 12. Alpha Star's ATR 42 and ATR 72 seat 44 and 70, and the A320s on the GACA list are in layouts of 20 to 78 seats.
How is a group charter priced?+
For the whole aircraft. Large jets charter at about SAR 44,690 to SAR 69,550 per flight hour, before airport, handling and permit charges. A320 and ATR charters are quoted per trip.
Who regulates charter flights in Saudi Arabia?+
The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), which licenses operators and processes landing permits.
Can a group fly straight from abroad to Abha or Tabuk?+
Not as the first stop. International flights must arrive through an airport of entry, such as Riyadh, Jeddah or Dammam, and Abha and Tabuk are not airports of entry.
Can we fly one way?+
Yes, though the price may include the aircraft flying back empty.
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.GACA (Saudi Arabia): operator certificates and fleets, compiled by Altivo from GACA announcements and operator statements (read 19 October 2026)
- 2.Wikipedia: Sky Prime Aviation (main base King Khalid International, fleet table as of April 2018)
- 3.AIN, 6 December 2016: Sky Prime awarded Part 121 licence to operate high-end charter in Saudi Arabia
- 4.AIN, 21 May 2014: Alpha Star, Riyadh-based charter operator with a VIP Airbus fleet and a Saudi air operator certificate
- 5.Universal Weather: business jet destination guide, Saudi Arabia (published December 2019, updated April 2022)
- 6.AC-U-KWIK airport record, OERK (runway, hours, slots, distance)
- 7.GACA, December 2018: Private Aviation Terminal inaugurated at King Khalid International, Riyadh
- 8.AC-U-KWIK airport record, OEJN (runway, hours, slots, distance)
- 9.AC-U-KWIK airport record, OEDF (runways, hours, prior permission, distance)
- 10.AC-U-KWIK airport record, OEAB Abha Regional (read 19 October 2026)
- 11.AC-U-KWIK airport record, OEGS Gassim, Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz (read 19 October 2026)
- 12.AC-U-KWIK airport record, OETB Tabuk, Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz (read 19 October 2026)
- 13.AC-U-KWIK airport record, OEAH Hofuf, Al Ahsa (read 19 October 2026)
Move the whole group together.
A specialist replies around the clock with aircraft options, the operator's name and an all-in price.