🛬 Saudi Arabia Relaxes Cabotage; AirX Secures Part 129 to Break Into Domestic Legs
Saudi Arabia's GACA lifted cabotage restrictions on foreign charter operators in 2025, for the first time allowing international private jet companies to carry domestic legs within the Kingdom. This move is part of the General Aviation Roadmap, which aims to grow the general aviation sector to approximately US$2 billion by 2030. As one of the first cases to materialize, AirX Charter obtained GACAR Part 129 foreign operator authorization on February 18, 2026. Avi-Go data shows that over the nearly 90 days from May 9 to August 7, 2026, there were 801 departures from Jeddah OEJN, with local operators Alpha Star (169 movements) and Saudia Private (143 movements) leading the way, while Air X just entered the top ten with 18 movements—international operators' penetration into domestic legs remains at an early stage.
Impact: The lifting of cabotage opens the previously inaccessible Saudi domestic market to international managed-fleet and charter operators such as VistaJet and AirX. Combined with the Gulf trend of "chartering instead of buying," this will intensify competition among local operators for market share at gateway airports.
Recommendation: International operators should complete GACAR Part 129 applications and local agency arrangements before Q4 2026 to seize the first-mover window; local operators need to strengthen domestic-leg traffic rights and frequent-flyer loyalty within 2026 to defend against the entry of international players.