Private jet charters surge over 50 percent as elites rush to leave Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks

Private jet charter costs across Saudi Arabia have sharply increased following a wave of attacks by Yemen's Houthi militia. With the capital city's main gateway paralyzed, commercial airlines have cancelled thousands of scheduled flights. Consequently, wealthy residents, foreign investors, and senior corporate executives are turning to private aviation to exit the country, triggering an unprecedented surge in charter bookings.

Aviation operators and booking brokers report that charter rates have risen by more than 50 percent within days. Skyrocketing war-risk insurance premiums have added thousands of dollars to standard operating fees. Furthermore, several foreign private aviation operators have halted operations in Saudi airspace out of security concerns, causing an acute shortage of available aircraft that further escalates prices.

Alexander Graham of luxury broker LuxJets told the Financial Times that a Bombardier Global 6000 flight from Al-Qassim Airport north of Riyadh to Geneva, Switzerland, recently commanded 94,000 euros. Prior to the shutdown of Riyadh's primary airfield, a comparable journey typically cost around 60,000 euros. Graham noted that dwindling fleet capacity is forcing desperate travelers to pay extraordinary premiums.

All regular operations at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport have been suspended since October 10 following destructive cross-border strikes. While the General Authority of Civil Aviation had initially projected a resumption of flights by October 18, regulators have not yet restored regular schedules or provided an updated operational timeline, leaving Saudi Arabia's air corridors under lingering uncertainty.