beOnd expands luxury airline ambitions with Bahrain deal
February 16, 2026
Premium leisure carrier beOnd has signed an agreement with Bahrain’s aviation authorities to explore launching a Bahrain-based airline, further expanding the boutique carrier’s presence in the Gulf.
The airline formalised the deal with a letter of intent to Bahrain’s Civil Aviation Affairs, issued on February 16, to pursue a new air operator certificate (AOC) and establish local operations in the kingdom.
beOnd expands its premium air travel niche
beOnd has established itself as a premium leisure airline, operating two narrowbody aircraft with an all-premium cabin configuration and offering luxury amenities onboard. It operates one Airbus A319 seating 44 passengers and an Airbus A321 configured for 68 passengers, with all lie-flat seats. The airline launched in 2023, from its Maldives hub, providing services to Munich and Zurich. With the delivery of its second aircraft, it launched services to Milan, Riyadh, and its headquarters in Dubai.
In November of last year, beOnd announced it was seeking $100 million in funding (in addition to the $90 million already invested) to support a multi-AOC strategy and fleet growth of up to 56 aircraft by 2030. The airline detailed fleet plans to base “22 aircraft in the Maldives, 14 across the GCC countries, 10 aircraft in the US, and 12 aircraft in India.”
Tero Taskila, CEO and Chairman of beOnd, said of these plans: “In just two years, we have been accelerating inbound premium tourism into the Maldives. On the strength of this performance, we are partnering with local stakeholders in the Middle East, the United States, and India to open new AOCs and bases of operation.”
Up to 10 aircraft in Bahrain with a $1.5 billion economic impact
Under the deal announced today, beOnd intends to base up to 10 aircraft in Bahrain by 2030, serving leisure and business markets across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America.
The airline projects that the initiative will create over 1,200 direct, high-skilled jobs and support over 6,000 indirect roles in tourism, hospitality, and logistics. It is expected to contribute roughly $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion to Bahrain’s GDP over the first five years.
The airline’s move aligns with Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030, which prioritises diversification and private-sector growth, while also supporting aviation training, maintenance capability and the deployment of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Taskila described a Bahrain base as a “natural next step” in the airline’s “multi-jurisdictional strategy.”
“Together, we have the opportunity to build a premium aviation platform that strengthens connectivity, develops specialised talent, and supports innovation across the travel value chain,” The National quotes Taskila as saying.
Bahrain is positioning itself as a regional aviation hub
The announcement comes amid broader efforts to position Bahrain as a strategic aviation and tourism centre, supported by airport expansion and partnerships with international carriers.
The Bahrain News Agency reports that BeOnd’s announcement was made during the inauguration of the National Aviation Strategy for 2026-2027 at the Awal Private Aviation Hall at Bahrain International Airport. In line with Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, the initiative supports government efforts to develop civil aviation. Bahrain is committed to strengthening its position as a leading regional and global aviation hub through collaboration with public- and private-sector partners.
Plans include making Bahrain International Airport a preferred hub for commercial and private aviation. MRO and logistics capabilities will also be developed, and air destinations will be expanded from 66 to 100 by 2030.
Bahrain is the latest step in beOnd’s wider Gulf expansion
The airline has been pursuing additional AOCs in Gulf countries and expanding charter and scheduled operations to scale its luxury-focused network across the Middle East and beyond.
In December, beOnd announced it planned to obtain an Air Operator Certificate from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and launch an airline, projecting it could serve up to one million passengers, with as many as 20 aircraft based in the Kingdom by 2030.
“Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s fastest-growing and most distinctive tourism destinations, known for both its ambition and exclusivity,” said Taskila in the airline’s announcement.
beOnd’s long-term commitment to the Maldives
Alongside Gulf expansion, Beond has reaffirmed that the Maldives remains central to its strategy, having already launched premium-only services and begun scaling capacity.
The carrier plans to base up to 22 aircraft in the Maldives and serve more than 30 destinations by the end of the decade, including additional routes expected from 2026 onward.
A multi-hub premium leisure airline strategy
BeOnd’s Maldives expansion, Saudi subsidiary and proposed Bahrain airline reflect its ambition to build a distributed global network of luxury-focused operations. It would be an airline operation similar to the successful AirAsia multi-AOC model, tailored to a different travel market segment.
Premium air travel demand has been rising
In its World Air Transport Statistics report published last August, the International Air Transport Association reported that international premium-class travel—business and first class—rose by 11.8%, outpacing global economy-class (which increased by 11.5%). International premium-class travellers tallied 116.9 million in 2024, representing 6% of total international passengers.
Premium demand grew 22.8% year-on-year in the Asia-Pacific region, with 21 million premium passengers, while economy class outpaced premium with 28.6% growth, reaching 500.8 million passengers.
However, in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North America, premium travellers outpaced economy travellers. Europe was the largest market for international premium travel, with 39.3 million premium passengers (8.1% higher than in 2023). However, premium travellers accounted for the highest share of all travellers in the Middle East at 14.7%.
If beOnd can expand its luxury leisure strategy as planned, it could challenge other Gulf-based luxury carriers.
Featured Image: beOnd
