How much does a private jet to Riyadh cost?

A Challenger 650 from the European hubs costs from EUR 50,000 (Vienna, Rome) to EUR 60,000 (London) one way for the whole aircraft. From Istanbul a Phenom 300 costs EUR 19,500, and a Citation CJ3 from Dammam costs EUR 8,500.

Which airport do private jets use?

King Khalid International, about 35 km north of the centre, where Jet Aviation runs an executive terminal open 24 hours.

How long does the landing permit take?

About three Saudi working days, Sunday to Thursday, sometimes less. Send passport and visa data as soon as you accept the offer.

Yes, every passenger needs a visa; EU and UK citizens can get an e-visa online. Passports must be valid six months.

How long is the flight from London?

About 6:20 h non-stop from Farnborough in a Challenger 650; routing around closed airspace may lengthen it.

Can we have alcohol on board?

No, not on a flight that lands in Saudi Arabia. If the trip continues to Dubai, drinks can be loaded there.

Can we fly back the same day?

Two sectors of five to six hours plus the meeting exceed one crew's duty day, so it needs a second crew. Usually the crew rests and flies back the next day.

How much luggage can we take?

A full delegation's luggage fits in a heavy jet. In summer heat a heavy load can limit take-off weight, so tell us the number of bags in advance.

Usually not: only hunting, guard and assistance dogs are admitted. Cats can enter with an Anaam permit, microchip, vaccination and health certificate.

Are there Empty Legs to Riyadh?

Mostly on short routes from Bahrain, Kuwait and Doha, and after delegation weeks towards Europe. Your dates go to empty-legs@jets.flights.

Can we combine Riyadh with Jeddah or Dubai?

Yes. Jeddah is 1:41 h away in a Citation CJ3 and Dubai 1:37 h in a Citation XLS+; domestic legs with a foreign aircraft need approval case by case.

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Private jet to Riyadh

Few people fly to the Saudi capital on holiday. Most private flights carry executives and delegations to the sovereign wealth fund, the ministries, the banks in the King Abdullah Financial District and the companies building the new districts of the city, or to a large investment conference. A typical programme is one or two days of meetings, sometimes followed by Jeddah, Dubai or Doha. From central Europe the distance is 3,700-4,400 km, about five hours in a heavy jet.

The trip needs more preparation than a European one. Every passenger needs an e-visa, the operator needs a landing permit from GACA, the civil aviation authority, which is processed on Saudi working days, Sunday to Thursday, and alcohol may not be brought into the country, not even on board. Private flights to the capital land at King Khalid International (RUH), where business aviation has its own complex and terminal. As a broker, we collect offers from European and Gulf operators and coordinate permits, handling and the car.

4:50 h

Vienna - Riyadh non-stop in a Challenger 650

from EUR 19,500

one way, light jet from Istanbul

Jet Aviation

executive terminal at King Khalid, open 24 hours

E-visa

applied for online by each passenger

Friday - Saturday

weekend; offices work Sunday to Thursday

+2 h

ahead of Paris and Berlin in winter, +1 h in summer

Send the route, dates, number of passengers and whether everyone already has an e-visa. A consultant replies with aircraft, timing of the permit and price.

What a private jet changes on a Saudi business trip

Arrive the evening before

Leave Europe in the afternoon, land late in the evening, sleep in the hotel and start the meetings in the morning. The return can leave as soon as the last meeting ends.

Several cities in one trip

Jeddah, AlUla, Dammam, Bahrain and Doha are all under two hours away, so two days in the capital can be followed by a second stop without a scheduled connection.

A delegation travels together

Twelve or fourteen people board one cabin, discuss the meeting on the way and land at the same time at a terminal away from the passenger halls.

Catering that fits the rules

The operator plans meals without alcohol from the start, and food prepared in Riyadh contains no pork or alcohol.

heavy business jet ready for a flight to the middle east

Flight times from Europe and the Gulf

2:28 h

Larnaca, Challenger 650

3:42 h

Istanbul, Phenom 300

4:47 h

Rome Ciampino

5:15 h

Milan Linate

5:33 h

Geneva and Frankfurt

5:59 h

Paris Le Bourget

6:20 h

London Farnborough

0:59 h

Dammam, Citation CJ3

1:41 h

Jeddah, Citation CJ3

The times come from the price tables below: non-stop in a Challenger 650 unless stated, including taxi, climb and descent. They follow the straight line, which crosses Syria and Iraq. When the EASA conflict-zone bulletins exclude that airspace, operators route over the eastern Mediterranean and Egypt or Jordan, which makes the trip longer, and the exact time comes from the flight plan for the day. Airspace in the region can close at short notice, so the operator checks the bulletins again before departure.

business jet above the clouds on a southbound route

Private jet prices to Riyadh

Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, to King Khalid International, plus landing permit, handling, airport charges and taxes. They assume an aircraft available near the departure airport; the flight time refers to the first aircraft in each row.

From the European hubs

Route	Distance	Flight time	Heavy jet Challenger 650	Long range Falcon 7X	Ultra long range Global 7500
London Farnborough - Riyadh	4,955 km	6:20 h	EUR 60,000	EUR 79,000	EUR 93,000
Paris Le Bourget - Riyadh	4,657 km	5:59 h	EUR 58,000	EUR 75,000	EUR 90,000
Geneva - Riyadh	4,298 km	5:33 h	EUR 55,000	EUR 70,000	EUR 86,000
Zurich - Riyadh	4,174 km	5:25 h	EUR 54,000	EUR 69,000	EUR 84,000
Milan Linate - Riyadh	4,037 km	5:15 h	EUR 53,000	EUR 67,000	EUR 83,000
Munich - Riyadh	3,999 km	5:12 h	EUR 53,000	EUR 67,000	EUR 82,000
Frankfurt - Riyadh	4,293 km	5:33 h	EUR 55,000	EUR 70,000	EUR 86,000
Vienna - Riyadh	3,681 km	4:50 h	EUR 50,000	EUR 63,000	EUR 78,000
Amsterdam - Riyadh	4,641 km	5:58 h	EUR 58,000	EUR 75,000	EUR 90,000
Madrid - Riyadh	4,935 km	6:18 h	EUR 60,000	EUR 78,000	EUR 93,000
Nice - Riyadh	4,126 km	5:21 h	EUR 54,000	EUR 68,000	EUR 84,000
Hamburg - Riyadh	4,401 km	5:41 h	EUR 56,000	EUR 72,000	EUR 87,000
Larnaca - Riyadh	1,672 km	2:28 h	EUR 32,000	EUR 36,000	EUR 47,000
Rome - Riyadh	3,644 km	4:47 h	EUR 50,000	EUR 62,000	EUR 78,000
Berlin - Riyadh	4,127 km	5:21 h	EUR 54,000	EUR 68,000	EUR 84,000

The Saudi capital lies closer to Europe than Doha or the Emirates. A Challenger 650 costs EUR 50,000 from Vienna or Rome and EUR 60,000 from London; a Falcon 7X costs EUR 67,000 from Milan, and the Global 7500 from London costs EUR 93,000. From Larnaca the heavy jet costs EUR 32,000 for under two and a half hours.

From south-eastern and central Europe

For small groups the distance from the Balkans and Istanbul is short enough for a light jet. From Belgrade northwards the Phenom 300 stops once for fuel, so the Praetor 500 is the better choice:

Route	Distance	Flight time	Light jet Phenom 300	Midsize jet Praetor 500	Super midsize Challenger 350
Athens - Riyadh	2,585 km	3:57 h	EUR 20,000	EUR 25,000	EUR 31,000
Istanbul - Riyadh	2,394 km	3:42 h	EUR 19,500	EUR 24,000	EUR 29,000
Bucharest - Riyadh	2,863 km	4:19 h	EUR 22,000	EUR 27,000	EUR 33,000
Sofia - Riyadh	2,900 km	4:22 h	EUR 22,000	EUR 27,000	EUR 33,000
Belgrade - Riyadh	3,239 km	6:19 h, 1 stop	EUR 29,000	EUR 29,000	EUR 36,000
Budapest - Riyadh	3,473 km	6:38 h, 1 stop	EUR 30,000	EUR 30,000	EUR 37,000
Warsaw - Riyadh	3,721 km	6:58 h, 1 stop	EUR 31,000	EUR 31,000	EUR 39,000
Prague - Riyadh	3,943 km	7:15 h, 1 stop	EUR 32,000	EUR 32,000	EUR 40,000

A fuel stop adds close to two hours. The Praetor 500 flies all these routes non-stop, and the Challenger 350 gives more cabin and luggage space for EUR 29,000 from Istanbul and EUR 40,000 from Prague.

Within Saudi Arabia and across the Gulf

Many programmes combine the capital with Jeddah, the Eastern Province or a neighbouring country such as Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Abu Dhabi:

Route	Distance	Flight time	Light jet Citation CJ3	Midsize jet Citation XLS+	Super midsize Challenger 350
Jeddah - Riyadh	852 km	1:41 h	EUR 10,500	EUR 14,000	EUR 17,000
Dammam - Riyadh	353 km	0:59 h	EUR 8,500	EUR 11,000	EUR 12,500
AlUla - Riyadh	876 km	1:43 h	EUR 11,000	EUR 14,000	EUR 17,000
Bahrain - Riyadh	421 km	1:05 h	EUR 9,000	EUR 11,500	EUR 13,500
Doha - Riyadh	495 km	1:11 h	EUR 9,000	EUR 12,000	EUR 14,000
Kuwait - Riyadh	491 km	1:11 h	EUR 9,000	EUR 12,000	EUR 14,000
Dubai - Riyadh	874 km	1:43 h	EUR 11,000	EUR 14,000	EUR 17,000
Abu Dhabi - Riyadh	786 km	1:36 h	EUR 10,500	EUR 13,500	EUR 16,000
Muscat - Riyadh	1,184 km	2:09 h	EUR 12,000	EUR 16,000	EUR 19,500
Cairo - Riyadh	1,612 km	2:44 h	EUR 14,000	EUR 18,500	EUR 23,000

Domestic legs between Saudi airports with a foreign-registered aircraft are approved case by case, so a programme with several Saudi cities is planned as a whole from the start, and sometimes a Saudi operator flies the domestic part. Every international leg needs its own landing permit.

On a five-hour sector the price is mainly flight time plus positioning: an aircraft that flies out empty or returns empty to its base is part of the price. Book both legs together, or let the aircraft wait in Riyadh, and compare the two before you decide; for a stay of more than two days, parking and crew hotels can cost less than two extra empty flights, or the reverse. Overflight fees, crew hotels and, with some operators, war-risk insurance are added to the table price, and conference weeks cost more. Departure taxes of the European country: France a per-passenger tax on jets that rises with distance, about EUR 1,015 to Saudi Arabia and about EUR 420 within Europe, Italy EUR 200 per passenger on sectors over 1,500 km, Austria EUR 12; Germany and the Netherlands charge their own departure taxes, and the UK charges APD at the higher rate for jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats, while other jets pay the standard rate of their distance band. Saudi charges and overflight fees are listed in the quote.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Worked examples

Two days of meetings from Geneva

Four executives in a Challenger 650 at EUR 55,000 from Geneva. The aircraft waits in Riyadh, so parking, two nights of crew hotel and handling are added, and the return flight is priced the same way. Each passenger pays for the e-visa separately.

A delegation from London

Twelve passengers in a Falcon 7X at EUR 79,000 from Farnborough for the conference week in October. APD at the higher rate, parking in a busy week and the return are added in the quote.

Riyadh, then Dubai

After the meetings, a Citation XLS+ flies four people on to Dubai for EUR 14,000 in 1:37 h, with a UAE landing permit requested in parallel with the Saudi one.

business jet cabin with a conference table

Price per person

The aircraft is chartered as a whole. The share per passenger, without per-passenger taxes and visas:

Route	Aircraft	Whole aircraft	3 passengers	5 passengers	7 passengers
Istanbul - Riyadh	Phenom 300	EUR 19,500	EUR 6,500	EUR 3,900	EUR 2,800
Bucharest - Riyadh	Praetor 500	EUR 27,000	EUR 9,000	EUR 5,400	EUR 3,900
Warsaw - Riyadh	Challenger 350	EUR 39,000	EUR 13,000	EUR 7,800	EUR 5,600
Vienna - Riyadh	Challenger 650	EUR 50,000	EUR 16,700	EUR 10,000	EUR 7,100
Munich - Riyadh	Falcon 7X	EUR 67,000	EUR 22,300	EUR 13,400	EUR 9,600
London Farnborough - Riyadh	Global 7500	EUR 93,000	EUR 31,000	EUR 18,600	EUR 13,300

Quick estimate

The calculator sends a first estimate by e-mail; add in the comment whether the aircraft should wait in Riyadh.

King Khalid International: the business aviation side

King Khalid International Airport (RUH, OERK) lies about 35 km north of the city centre, on the same side of the city as the financial district. It has two parallel runways, 15L/33R and 15R/33L, each 4,205 m long, at an elevation of 625 m, and it is open 24 hours. General aviation has its own complex north of one of the runways, with a separate access road, apron and passenger terminal, away from the airline terminals. A royal terminal receives state visits.

Jet Aviation runs the executive terminal with a lounge, crew room and prayer area, open round the clock, and Saudia Private Aviation also handles private flights. A handling agent is compulsory for every foreign private aircraft, slots are required, and the agent requests the slot together with the landing permit. Immigration and customs come to the executive terminal on call, so the handler needs the arrival time and the passenger details in advance.

GACA processes landing permits in about three working days, counted from Sunday to Thursday, though a complete request is sometimes approved faster. The permit is valid for 24 hours either side of the approved date, and GACA often asks for a local sponsor or receiving party. A request sent on a Thursday is processed only after the weekend.

King Khalid International (RUH / OERK)	Details
Location	About 35 km north of the centre
Runways	15L/33R and 15R/33L, 4,205 m each
Elevation	625 m
Hours	24 hours
Business aviation	Separate general aviation complex; Jet Aviation and Saudia Private Aviation
Slots and handling	Slots required, handling agent compulsory
Permit	GACA landing permit, about three working days
Time zone	Arabia Standard Time (UTC+3), no daylight saving

Alternates and other Saudi airports

Riyadh has no second airport for international flights, so the operator chooses alternates among the larger airports of the country and the region. Straight-line distances from King Khalid:

Airport	Codes	Runway	Distance	Notes
Qassim, Prince Naif	ELQ / OEGS	about 3,000 m	329 km	Alternate to the north-west
Dammam, King Fahd	DMM / OEDF	about 4,000 m	353 km	Eastern Province; services more limited, no full FBO
Bahrain International	BAH / OBBI	about 3,950 m	421 km	Nearest neighbour across the border
Jeddah, King Abdulaziz	JED / OEJN	about 4,000 m	852 km	Red Sea; slots scarce in the pilgrimage seasons
AlUla	ULH / OEAO	about 3,050 m	876 km	Heritage region; domestic leg approved case by case

Dust storms over the Najd plateau can reduce visibility for a few hours. When one is forecast, we move the arrival or wait for conditions to improve.

private jet on the apron of a desert airport

The right aircraft for the Saudi capital

Light and midsize: 6-9 seats

Phenom 300 from Istanbul and Athens, Praetor 500 from central Europe, Citation XLS+ for domestic and Gulf legs. Enough for two to four people on a meeting trip.

Super midsize: 8-10 seats

Challenger 350 or Praetor 600, a stand-up cabin and room for luggage, non-stop from most of central Europe.

Heavy jet: 12-14 seats

Challenger 650 or Legacy 650 for delegations, non-stop from every European hub, with beds for a night flight.

Long and ultra long range: 13-17 seats

Falcon 7X or Global 7500 for the largest delegations, a separate bedroom or a trip that continues to Asia.

In summer the heat and the airport's elevation limit the take-off weight, so departures from Riyadh are best planned for the night or early morning. A full cabin with luggage may need a larger class than the distance alone suggests. Cabins and seat plans are in the catalogue sections heavy jets and ultra long range jets.

Questions about the aircraft or the permit timing? Leave a number and a consultant calls back.

Give us your phone number and we'll call you back

Weather and the conference calendar

Month	What happens	For the flight
November - February	Warm days, cool desert nights; most conferences and events	Busy hotels in the business districts
February	Saudi Cup horse race	Guests from abroad, busy weekend
Autumn to spring	Riyadh Season of concerts and sports events	Busy weekends on roads and in hotels
June - August	Often above 45 °C by day	Night or early morning departures because of take-off weight
23 September	Saudi National Day	Public holidays
October	Future Investment Initiative conference	The busiest week at the airport; apply for permit and slot early
Ramadan	Moves about 11 days earlier each year	Shorter office hours, life moves to the evening
Hajj season	Pilgrimage in the west of the country	Jeddah slots and permits need more time

The weekend is Friday and Saturday. Sunday is a working day, so many delegations fly out on Saturday evening; after a Thursday meeting the offices close the next day, and the return is usually planned for Thursday evening or Saturday.

business jet taxiing in the evening heat

From King Khalid to KAFD, Olaya and Diriyah

KAFD and the north

The financial district and the office towers along the main roads in the north are noticeably closer than the old centre.

Olaya and the centre

30-45 minutes by car outside rush hour; traffic on the main roads can be heavy, so plan a margin before the first meeting.

Diriyah

Hotels, restaurants and meeting venues around the UNESCO site of At-Turaif on the north-western edge of the city.

Metro

The yellow metro line links the airport with the city in about 35 minutes, but most passengers take a car from the aircraft.

Helicopter

A helicopter transfer to districts further away can be arranged on request.

chauffeur car waiting beside a business jet

Empty Legs to and from Riyadh

Empty sectors appear mostly on short routes in the region, and occasionally on the long sectors to Europe:

Bahrain, Kuwait and Doha

Aircraft moving between Gulf capitals return empty after a drop-off; the easiest Empty Legs to use when the programme covers several cities.

Back north after delegations

Jets that bring delegations from Europe often fly home empty, especially around the October conference week.

Gulf fleet to Europe in summer

From May to September Gulf-based aircraft fly north with their owners or for maintenance.

The operator sets the date and time. The GACA landing permit and every passenger's e-visa are required for an empty leg too, so it works only with documents ready. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the route and the days you could travel.

long range jet parked under a clear sky

Pets: cats possible, dogs rarely

If the animal is allowed in, it travels in the cabin with you on a private jet, provided the operator approves in advance. The Saudi rules are among the strictest in the region:

Import permit from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture through the Anaam platform, valid for 30 days; the animal must enter through the port named in the permit, and the application is usually made by a person or company in Saudi Arabia.
Dogs are generally not admitted, except hunting, guard and assistance dogs; breeds such as pit bull, Rottweiler, boxer, mastiff and tosa face special restrictions.
Cats need a microchip, a rabies vaccination valid for at least six more months and a health certificate from a government vet.
Saudi Arabia is not on the EU list of approved countries, so the return to the EU or Great Britain needs a rabies antibody test; taken in Europe before departure and recorded in the pet passport, it avoids the three-month wait.
For the UK, dogs need tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival (for a trip of five days or less a UK vet can give it before departure) and pets arrive only at approved airports with an approved handler; Ireland, Malta, Finland and Norway also require tapeworm treatment for dogs.

Visas, customs and conduct

E-visa

Citizens of EU countries and the UK can apply online. The tourist e-visa is valid for a year with multiple entries and stays of up to 90 days; the right visa type for business visits is checked separately. Every passenger applies, children included, and passports must be valid six months.

Landing permit

The operator applies to GACA with the passport and visa numbers of everyone on board, so these are needed right after you accept the offer.

No alcohol

Alcohol may not be brought in, even on board a private jet landing in the country. Private passengers go through the same customs check as everyone else.

Medicines

Medicines with psychotropic substances or strong painkillers are strictly controlled. Carry a doctor's letter in English and only the quantity for the stay.

Dress and photos

Clothing covering shoulders and knees is expected in public. Photographing people without their consent, or government buildings, is frowned upon.

business jet cabin ready for a delegation

Checklist

E-visa approved for every passenger, passports valid six months.
Passport and visa numbers sent for the GACA permit at least three working days ahead.
Name of the receiving company or host, if GACA asks for a sponsor.
Catering ordered without alcohol; nothing alcoholic in the luggage.
Prescriptions with a doctor's letter in English.
Address of the first meeting, for the car and the arrival time.
Return time, keeping in mind the Friday-Saturday weekend.

How to book a private jet to Riyadh

Send the departure airport, dates, number of passengers, the visa status of each and the address of the first meeting.
We check the GACA working days against your date and choose a light, midsize or heavy jet for the distance, the luggage and the summer heat.
You receive 2-4 offers naming the operator and aircraft, with cabin photos, flight time and price; parking and crew hotel appear as separate lines.
After signing and payment, the operator files the landing permit and the handler books the slot and the car.
Arrive at the private terminal 20-30 minutes before departure; in Riyadh the handler meets you at the executive terminal for passport and customs.

Contract

With the operator that flies the aircraft; we draft it and act as broker for the whole trip.

Payment

Bank transfer or card, settled before the flight.

Cancellation

Terms depend on the operator and the time left before departure.

All in writing

Aircraft, price, permit, parking and extras are set out in the contract.

Advantages of the company

- Reputation
- 14 years in business aviation in Europe, with the head office in Cyprus and offices in Nice, Hamburg and Geneva. More than 100 regular clients and 34 partner companies around the world.
- A wide choice of aircraft
- Through certified operators we have access to around 6,500 private jets and turboprops. We select an aircraft for a flight of any range and complexity.
- Transparent contracts
- Every flight is covered by a clear contract stating the aircraft, times, included services and cancellation terms. We are flexible and always ready to discuss details and make changes.
- Online booking
- You can book the flight and sign the contract remotely, without visiting an office. If you prefer, all documents can also be arranged in person at one of our offices.

Our team