Dubai-based premium leisure airline Beond has signed a letter of intent with Bahrain’s civil aviation regulator to set up operations in the kingdom, strengthening the Gulf nation's position as a hub for luxury travel.
The boutique airline said on Monday that, after obtaining an Air Operator Certificate (AOC), its operations could contribute between $1.2 billion and $1.5 billion to the kingdom’s gross domestic product over the first five years.
The undertaking is also projected to create “more than 1,200 direct high-skilled jobs and support over 6,000 indirect roles in tourism, hospitality, logistics and related sectors”, the airline added.
A Maldivian airline with its administrative base in Dubai, Beond plans to operate up to 10 premium-configured aircraft in Bahrain by 2030, serving high-value leisure and business markets, as part of its investment. The airline flies direct to the Maldives from Europe, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Asia.
“Establishing a Bahrain-based airline is a natural next step in our 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,” said Tero Taskila, chief executive of Beond.
Founded in November 2023, the airline is focused solely on premium travellers.
In November 2025, Beond launched flights from Milan to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International airport, achieving a milestone as the airport's first direct flight from Europe. The airline already also serves the Riyadh-Male route.
In the same month, the airline announced its long-term commitment to the Maldives outlining plans to grow the fleet to 22 aircraft based in Maldives and more than 30 destinations by the end of the decade, including four new destinations in 2026.
In December 2025, Beond said it had started the process to launch an airline and receive an AOC in Saudi Arabia.
Flying the 68-seat Airbus A321 and 44-seat Airbus A319 aircraft, Beond currently operates from Dubai, Riyadh, Zurich, Munich, Milan, the Red Sea, and Maldives. In 2026, the airline plans to expand its network to China, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, India, France, Italy and the UK, subject to approval from the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority, according to the airline’s website.
The latest move is aligned with the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, which prioritises economic diversification and private-sector growth. As part of the plans, Beond intends to establish structured training programmes for pilots, cabin crew, engineers and ground staff, supported by simulators and maintenance facilities.
Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, commended Beond's expansion into the kingdom.
“It was an opportunity for us to showcase the partnership and to share our part in its realisation. We look forward to having Beond aircraft with a Bahraini AOC,” Sheikh Abdulla said.
The airline also plans to leverage Bahrain’s regulatory framework and infrastructure to deploy artificial intelligence across operations, including maintenance, revenue management and passenger experience, in a bid to build local expertise in advanced aviation technologies.
Bahrain’s aviation industry has been growing rapidly, driven by the expansion of its main international airport and strategic partnerships such as AirAsia X positioning the country as its Gulf hub.
Premium air travel is experiencing a strong revival this year, with premium, business, and first-class cabins generating roughly 20 per cent of global airline revenue – and up to 30 per cent of international revenue – despite representing only about 5 per cent to 7 per cent of total passenger volume, according to the International Air Transport Association (Iata).
