✈️ Dubai South business jet traffic nearly halved, leading operators contracting across the board
Following Dubai authorities' November 2025 decision to consolidate business aviation at Al Maktoum International Airport (OMDW), the airport's business jet traffic has visibly weakened. Avi-Go data shows OMDW recorded 1,480 movements over the past 90 days (723 departures, 757 arrivals), down 1,953 from 3,433 in the same period last year, a year-on-year decline of 56.9%, with the daily average falling from 37.7 to 16.1 movements. The leading tier remains stable in structure but has broadly contracted: VistaJet fell from 313 to 181 movements yet still ranks first, Falcon Luxe 183→115, Avcon Jet 122→35, Falcon Aviation 106→64. Destinations are dominated by short-haul Gulf routes such as Abu Dhabi (55 movements) and Riyadh (31 movements), overlaid with Mediterranean summer overflow to Bodrum, Istanbul and other locations.
Impact: During the consolidation period, OMDW business jet activity has fallen sharply, with leading operators seeing single-airport business volumes decline in tandem and short-term revenue under pressure; VistaJet's decline is smaller than the overall drop, showing notable relative resilience, and may consolidate its leading position during the consolidation window.
Recommendation: Operators and FBOs should reassess OMDW capacity deployment and ground resource allocation before the end of Q3 2026, redirecting some flights toward short-haul Gulf routes with still-steady demand such as Abu Dhabi and Riyadh; VistaJet can leverage its relative resilience to lock in high-frequency Gulf and Mediterranean clientele ahead of the Q4 peak season.