Children and pets welcome on board fast-evolving private jet industry

Michelin-starred food and sleep coaching launched to stay ahead of the competition

VistaJet offer grooming kits, treats and luxurious sleeping mats for pets on board. Photo: VistaJet

Sleep specialists, children’s entertainers, pet travel and partnerships with chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants: options on board private jet charters are hitting new heights in the booming luxury travel market.

Demand in the Middle East and North Africa is soaring due to an increasing number of high net worth individuals moving to the UAE, government investment, and the appeal of the Emirates as a business destination for the world’s largest companies.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub experienced a 15 per cent spike in private jet traffic in the first half of 2025, and the market is expected to soar to a record high by 2029 to be worth $943 million, up from $566m in 2024.

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Demand for larger private aircraft is also proportionally higher than elsewhere in the world, according to analysts, leaving luxury service providers competing to offer the best in-flight experience.

“The private aviation industry is seeing some of its strongest global momentum on record,” said Youssef Mouallem, chief business officer at VistaJets.

“October marked the 25th consecutive week of year-on-year growth in worldwide departures, with total activity hitting an unprecedented 567,000 hours for the month – up 5 per cent compared with last year.

“Year to date, the sector has already surpassed 5.3 million flight hours, exceeding the previous high, set in 2022. This growth is amplified in the Middle East, which continues to outpace global averages.”

Science of sleep

VistaJet launched a sleep programme in response to an increase in demand for long-haul travel, with more than 58 per cent of its flights crossing multiple time zones.

The programme applies scientific principles of recovery, circadian alignment and cognitive performance to transform rest in-flight into a restorative advantage. Children and pets are also well catered to on board.

Party planners and cabin hosts trained to work with children create special experiences, an offering driven by demand, with one in four of its flights including a child traveller under the age of 16. Cabins are transformed into playrooms and party venues, with children actively engaged in story books, personalised backpacks and family activity hampers.

For cats and dogs on board, grooming kits, treats and luxurious sleeping mats await, with crew trained in pet first aid and the latest dog CPR techniques.

Food remains a central component of the high-end business model of private jet charters. Altitude, humidity and cabin pressure may alter the taste and smell of food and drink, but that hasn’t slowed demand for food made by some of the world’s best chefs.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow, Matteo Atti, chief marketing officer at VistaJet, said operators are going the extra mile to offer special services and win that valuable repeat business. “Dining remains one of the most important factors of the on board experience,” said Mr Atti.

“If you have a favourite restaurant, the chances are we can bring the chef’s fresh food on board, to recreate the dining experience you’d have if you weren’t travelling. Our customers often have favourite restaurants, whether it be those they have accumulated from their global travels, or a restaurant from their hometown which delivers a taste of nostalgia.”

Vista private jets were on display on day two of the Dubai Airshow. Antonie Robertson / The National

Restaurant standards

Air passengers reset their senses when flying, as the effects of altitude, lower humidity and increased noise and movement affect everything from metabolism and digestion to perception of taste.

In particular, recirculated cabin air reduces aroma, which, together with taste, makes up 80 per cent of flavour. Chefs are beginning to turn away from the traditional shortcut of adding more sugar and salt and towards using fresher, higher-quality ingredients.

But that comes at a financial and logistical cost, according to Richard Pryor, chief executive of Private Flight, which provides catering services for the Empire Aviation Group, one of the region’s fast-growing operators of private jet charters.

“Our clients are operators of private aircraft, whether they're royal families, government fleet operators or cargo,” Mr Pryor said. “Restaurant food is different to an in-flight caterer, as are the logistics behind delivering. Passengers are definitely asking more questions of caterers now.”

Private Flight works within a network of 2,000 providers and suppliers across 176 countries to bring the best possible in-air dining experience, all within tight limitations on space and the bottom line.

“Our technology helps the flight attendant control budget and also the offering that they have,” said Mr Pryor. “You could be in Addis Ababa, the UK or Switzerland, but if you don’t know what's happening with the dollar, you've lost control of your budget.

“Probably the number one item of the experience on board for most of us is the food. That can be a great experience, or it can be a very bad experience, so we have to get it right.”