GCC luxury travellers are increasingly choosing Europe over traditional short-haul holiday destinations for Eid Al Adha this year, with private aviation demand witnessing a sharp surge ahead of the festive travel season.
According to VistaJet, flight enquiries for Eid week have jumped 144% compared to the first week of June, while quotes for European destinations have risen by 94%. The company said the trend reflects a growing preference among affluent Gulf travellers for longer summer holidays centred around cooler climates, family time and multi-stop itineraries.
The UAE-based private aviation company said average flight times during the Eid holiday period have increased by 62%, signalling stronger demand for longer-haul travel this year.
Among the busiest routes are domestic Saudi Arabia flights, Kuwait to the UK, Saudi Arabia to France and Spain, Egypt to France, Kuwait to France and Qatar to Saudi Arabia. The company said the figures indicate both strong intra-GCC family travel and rising interest in European destinations during the holiday period.
VistaJet said domestic demand within Saudi Arabia has also strengthened after the company became the first global private aviation operator certified to fly domestic routes in the Kingdom last year.
The company noted that affluent GCC travellers are increasingly prioritising flexibility, privacy and longer travel itineraries that combine multiple destinations across Europe and the wider region.
“Eid travel patterns this year are noticeably shifting towards Europe, particularly among travellers looking to extend holidays beyond the traditional long weekend format,” said Simon Budden. “We are seeing more demand for longer stays, multi-stop itineraries and destinations that allow families to combine leisure, flexibility and time together across the summer period.
“At the same time, travellers increasingly want the ability to move easily between destinations without compromising comfort, privacy or schedule flexibility. We’re working hand-in-hand with our broker partners to give their clients the same certainty of access and schedule flexibility our members rely on — especially when plans change at short notice.”
Outside the GCC, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain and the UK have emerged as the strongest-performing destinations for VistaJet members this Eid, while demand for traditional tropical leisure destinations has softened compared to previous holiday seasons.
VistaJet said its long-range fleet continues to witness strong demand from GCC travellers seeking direct intercontinental connectivity during peak travel periods.
