Middle East and Africa General Aviation - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2025 - 2030)

The Middle East and Africa General Aviation Market size is estimated at 1.92 billion USD in 2025, and is expected to reach 2.87 billion USD by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 8.36% during the forecast period (2025-2030).

The rising number of HNWIs in the region is boosting the procurement of business jets and piston fixed-wing aircraft

• Middle East & Africa accounted for around 3.5% of the global general aviation market in 2022. Out of the overall Middle East & Africa market, around 52% accounted for others, 34% accounted for the piston-fixed wing, and 14% accounted for business jets.
• With the growth in the tourism sector in various regions, many charter operators and tourism companies plan to expand their fleets by introducing new piston-engine aircraft, turboprop aircraft, and helicopters. This trend is helping them further expand their presence globally.
• The HNWIs and UHNWIs prefer private jets and helicopters for personal or business travel. The rising number of HNWIs in the region is boosting the procurement of aircraft in the general aviation sector. The UHNWI population increased from 2,146 in 2016 to 2,489 in 2022 in Africa and from 4,452 in 2016 to 9,717 in 2022 in Middle Eastern countries.
• Gulfstream was the leading OEM in terms of aircraft deliveries, with around 29 aircraft, followed by Embraer and Bombardier, with 14 and 13 deliveries in the Middle East during 2017-2022. Similarly, in Africa, Bombardier was the prominent player with nine deliveries, followed by Dassault, Gulfstream, and Cessna, with around seven, five, and five deliveries.
• The growing demand for business aviation services in oil-rich economies is expected to boost the general aviation sector in the Middle East & Africa. More than 1200 aircraft comprising business jets, helicopters, turboprops, and piston aircraft are expected to be delivered in the region during the forecast period.

HNWIs emphasize growth of the market in the region

• The Middle East & Africa accounted for around 3% of global business jet deliveries in 2022. Similarly, turboprop and piston aircraft accounted for 6.3% and 2.3% of the global deliveries in their category.
• In 2022, air charter service providers witnessed high demand in the whole Middle East & Africa with the surge in new memberships for business aviation. The HNWIs and UHNWIs prefer private jets and helicopters for personal or business travel. The rise in the number of HNWI individuals in the Middle East & African region has aided in procuring aircraft in the general aviation sector. From 2017 to 2022, the HNWI population in the Middle East increased from 176,000 in 2017 to 754,000 in 2022, and in Africa, it increased from 45,000 in 2017 to 128,000 in 2022.
• After the pandemic, business jet demand in this region surged 113% in 2021, specifically in the large business jet segment. In terms of the current operational fleet, large jets accounted for around 50% of the overall Middle East business jet fleet and 36% in Africa as of July 2022, as large jets are more prevalent in the Middle East & Africa. Air charter service providers witnessed high demand in the Middle East & Africa during the pandemic.
• The growth in demand for business aviation services in oil-rich economies is expected to boost the demand for the general aviation sector in the Middle East & Africa. Around 1,160 aircraft comprising business jets, helicopters, turboprops, and piston aircraft are expected to be delivered in the Middle East & Africa during the forecast period.

Middle East and Africa General Aviation Market Trends

Oil and gas and real estate were the major industries that boosted the growth of HNWIs in the Middle East

• From 2017 to 2022, there was a surge of around 118% in the UHNWI population in the Middle East compared to Africa, where the number of UHNWIs surged only by around 4.4% in the same period. In 2022, the number of UHNWIs in the Middle East increased by 8%, while Africa experienced a 0.8% decrease compared to 2021.
• The HNWI-friendly policies of the Middle East led to the migration of a large number of HNWIs into these countries. For instance, in 2022, the United Arab Emirates was expected to attract the largest number of high-net-worth individuals. An inflow of around 4,000 millionaires is expected in the country. Most of the HNWIs belong to India, Russia, Africa, and other Middle Eastern countries. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey were the major countries in terms of the UHNWI population, witnessing growth rates of 98%, 57%, and 59%, respectively, during 2017-2022.
• In the Middle East, the growth in the HNWI population was majorly led by the United Arab Emirates and Israel due to an increase in tech industrial focus. The recovery in oil prices also helped the GDP growth of the Middle East and North Africa, reaching 4.3% in 2022 compared to a contraction of 3.9% in 2021. Financial services, basic materials, real estate, transportation, and logistics were the major industries that accounted for a large number of HNWIs in the region. In Africa, South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, and Morocco account for over 55% of the overall region's high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs).

Middle East and Africa General Aviation Industry Overview

The Middle East and Africa General Aviation Market is fairly consolidated, with the top five companies occupying 87.80%. The major players in this market are Airbus SE, Bombardier Inc., Dassault Aviation, General Dynamics Corporation and Leonardo S.p.A (sorted alphabetically).

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