Maldives-based all-premium carrier beOnd will launch direct services from London, Paris, Munich, Moscow and Zurich to Red Sea International Airport in the coming months, expanding the Saudi resort destination’s European access.
Red Sea Global group chief executive John Pagano announced the expansion on July 23, saying the new routes will operate alongside beOnd’s existing services from Milan and Malé. He credited the Saudi Air Connectivity Program with supporting the expansion.
beOnd operates an all-premium model, and Pagano said the flights are intended to complement the hospitality offer across the destination. Launch dates, frequencies and aircraft deployment were not disclosed.
Red Sea International Airport serves the Red Sea destination on Saudi Arabia’s west coast, one of the giga-projects being developed by Red Sea Global as part of the kingdom’s push to build an international leisure tourism sector. Pagano also serves as managing director of KAFD and AlUla Development Company.
Why it matters for the trade
Direct European lift has been the binding constraint on selling Red Sea resorts to long-haul leisure markets, where clients paying resort rates resist connecting itineraries through Jeddah or Riyadh. Five new origin cities, all served on an all-premium basis, changes the arithmetic for luxury operators and DMCs building Saudi programmes, particularly out of the UK, Germany and Switzerland.
The Moscow route is the notable outlier, signalling continued Russian outbound demand into Gulf leisure destinations. Agents should treat this as directional until beOnd files schedules: without dates or frequencies, it cannot yet be built into 2026-27 brochures, and the practical question is whether these are year-round or seasonal services timed to the European winter.