Premium leisure carrier beOnd is accelerating its Middle East expansion with a landmark move to establish a new airline in Bahrain, positioning the island kingdom as a gateway for high-spending global travelers and adding fresh competitive pressure to the Gulf’s already crowded aviation market.
Boutique Maldivian Carrier Picks Bahrain for Next Growth Phase
BeOnd, founded in 2023 as a Maldives-based premium leisure airline with its administrative base in Dubai, has signed a letter of intent with Bahrain’s civil aviation authorities to set up a Bahrain-registered airline. The planned carrier would operate under a Bahraini air operator certificate, giving the group a new regulatory and commercial platform in the heart of the Gulf.
The company describes the move as a natural next step in a multi-jurisdictional strategy that already includes its Maldives hub, a planned airline in Saudi Arabia and ambitions to launch “beOnd America” in the United States. Executives say Bahrain offers an attractive mix of modern infrastructure, investor-friendly regulations and proximity to major tourism and financial markets across the Middle East, Europe and Asia.
BeOnd’s Bahrain project comes as premium air travel rebounds strongly worldwide. Industry data show that business, first and other premium cabins account for a small share of passengers yet deliver a disproportionately large slice of airline revenue. The carrier is betting that a boutique, all-lie-flat product focused on leisure travelers can capture a growing subset of affluent customers who want long-haul comfort without the scale or formality of traditional network airlines.
All-Lie-Flat Luxury for the Middle East’s High-Spend Travelers
BeOnd has built its brand around a simple promise: every seat is a lie-flat seat. Its Airbus A320-family jets are configured entirely with business-class style seating, typically 44 seats on the A319 and up to 68 on the A321, far below the density seen on most regional and long-haul narrowbodies. Cabins feature Italian leather upholstery, large pillows, plush blankets and curated tableware, with menus tailored around seasonal ingredients and destination-inspired cuisine.
From Bahrain, the airline intends to replicate that formula for a regional clientele accustomed to high service standards on flagship Gulf carriers but increasingly open to niche, lifestyle-focused brands. BeOnd’s executives see space in the market between traditional first class and the more utilitarian offerings of some low-cost and hybrid operators, especially for trips that blend leisure and business or connect Gulf residents to resort destinations.
The Bahrain operation is expected to tap into the kingdom’s growing luxury tourism sector and its role as a gateway for visitors heading to the Gulf, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. The airline has indicated that ground-side services, including private transfers, lounge access and bespoke itinerary design, will be key differentiators, aligning with the broader shift in premium aviation toward end-to-end experiences rather than seat-only propositions.
Economic Dividend for Bahrain’s Vision 2030
Officials in Manama view beOnd’s arrival as a strategic win that dovetails with Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, the country’s long-term plan to diversify away from hydrocarbons and position itself as a service-oriented economy. According to projections shared by the airline, operations from a Bahrain base could add between 1.2 billion and 1.5 billion dollars to national gross domestic product over the first five years.
The investment is also expected to generate more than 1,200 direct high-skilled jobs in areas such as flight operations, engineering, cabin services and corporate management, in addition to supporting over 6,000 indirect roles in sectors ranging from tourism and hospitality to logistics and airport services. Those numbers would be significant in a market of Bahrain’s size, especially as the country seeks to retain and attract specialized talent in aviation and travel technology.
Policy makers highlight that the project comes on top of other aviation initiatives, including the expansion of Bahrain International Airport and the ongoing growth strategy of national carrier Gulf Air, which has been rebuilding its long-haul network and recently resumed nonstop flights to New York. The arrival of a dedicated premium leisure operator is seen as complementary rather than competitive, broadening the ecosystem of carriers that can feed traffic into the kingdom.
Network Plans: From Bahrain to the Maldives, Red Sea and Beyond
BeOnd’s core operation today centers on linking the Maldives with high-value source markets in Europe and the Middle East. The airline already flies all-premium services from Zurich, Munich and Milan, as well as from Dubai, Riyadh and Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Airport, using Maldives as the primary hub. In late 2025 it launched the first direct connection between Europe and the Red Sea resort region via Milan, underlining its focus on emerging luxury destinations.
From Bahrain, industry observers expect a network strategy built around both point-to-point and hub-style flows. The new airline is likely to offer nonstop or one-stop itineraries for Gulf-based travelers heading to the Maldives and other Indian Ocean resorts, while also attracting European and Asian passengers using Bahrain as a transfer point. The carrier has previously signaled ambitions to reach more than 30 destinations globally by 2030, with 18 new routes from the Maldives alone slated to come online between 2025 and 2026.
In public statements and presentations, BeOnd has identified future markets across China, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, India, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, subject to regulatory approvals. A Bahrain-registered airline could make some of those city pairs more commercially and operationally viable, particularly routes that benefit from Gulf geography and airspace access. It also provides additional flexibility in scheduling, crew basing and aircraft utilization compared with operating exclusively under a Maldivian certificate.
Fleet Growth and a Multi-Jurisdictional Airline Model
The Bahrain expansion is part of BeOnd’s broader multi-hub strategy, which aims to stitch together several regionally focused airlines under a unified premium leisure brand. In the Maldives, the company recently celebrated its first anniversary and unveiled a second aircraft, an Airbus A321, reaffirming its goal to grow that fleet to 22 aircraft and more than 30 destinations by the end of the decade.
On a group level, BeOnd has floated a target of up to 56 aircraft by 2030, all of them from the Airbus A320 family and all configured in an all-lie-flat layout. That approach contrasts with most legacy and low-cost carriers, which mix cabin classes and chase higher seat counts to maximize volume. BeOnd’s thesis is that lower density, higher-yield operations from carefully chosen leisure markets can be profitable if cost structures are tightly controlled and aircraft are used efficiently across multiple jurisdictions.
In addition to Bahrain and the Maldives, the company has announced plans to set up airlines in Saudi Arabia and India, and has been pursuing a United States venture under the provisional name beOnd America. While a proposed partnership with Anchorage-based New Pacific Airlines has been derailed by the latter’s shutdown, the carrier has reiterated that it continues to seek a compliant US operating partner and raise fresh capital to support expansion. The Bahrain move illustrates how the group is progressively assembling a patchwork of operations that could feed each other over time.
Training, Technology and the Creation of an Aviation Talent Hub
Beyond aircraft and routes, the Bahrain project is being framed as an investment in human capital and aviation technology. BeOnd has committed to establishing structured training programs for pilots, cabin crew, engineers and ground staff in the kingdom. These initiatives are expected to include simulators, maintenance facilities and partnerships with local institutions to build a pipeline of aviation professionals.
Government officials have emphasized the importance of such programs in developing local capabilities rather than relying solely on expatriate expertise. For Bahrain, which already hosts a range of aviation support services, maintenance providers and training academies, the arrival of a new airline with specialized needs in premium service and advanced aircraft systems could elevate the overall skills base.
The carrier is also exploring the use of artificial intelligence and data-driven tools across its operations, from predictive maintenance and fuel optimization to revenue management and personalized customer experience. Bahrain’s regulatory framework and growing tech ecosystem are seen as enablers for such experimentation, particularly in areas like dynamic pricing, demand forecasting and tailored offers for high-spend travelers.
Competitive Dynamics in the Gulf’s Premium Sky
BeOnd’s decision to anchor part of its future growth in Bahrain adds a new layer to the region’s competitive landscape. The Gulf is already home to heavyweight network carriers that have built global reputations on premium cabins, extensive loyalty programs and vast connecting networks. In neighboring Saudi Arabia, large-scale investments are under way to create new airlines and airports aimed squarely at high-end tourism, especially along the Red Sea coast.
Industry analysts say that BeOnd’s niche strategy could allow it to coexist with, and occasionally complement, these larger players. Its relatively small aircraft and boutique positioning lend themselves to routes that might be uneconomical for widebody operators or too specialized for mass-market carriers. Codeshare or interline partnerships with established Gulf or European airlines are also a possibility, potentially allowing customers to combine BeOnd’s all-lie-flat segments with broader networks.
At the same time, the airline will face pressures familiar to any start-up: fuel price volatility, aircraft acquisition costs, regulatory hurdles and the challenge of building brand awareness in markets dominated by better-known names. Its focus on high-yield leisure travelers exposes it to swings in discretionary spending and geopolitical developments that can quickly alter travel patterns, especially in and around the Middle East.
Risks, Resilience and the Outlook for Luxury Air Travel
The decision to proceed with a Bahrain airline suggests that BeOnd’s leadership remains confident in the long-term appetite for premium leisure travel despite a more uncertain global economic backdrop. Executives argue that affluent travelers have shown resilience in recent years, often prioritizing experiences and comfort over other forms of discretionary spending, and are willing to pay a premium for convenience and privacy in the air.
For Bahrain, the project represents both an opportunity and a test. If BeOnd succeeds in building a sustainable operation from the kingdom, it would reinforce the narrative of Bahrain as a nimble, investor-friendly hub capable of attracting next-generation aviation ventures. It could also encourage further private-sector investment in supporting industries, from high-end hotels and tour operators to aviation technology start-ups.
For the wider region, the move underscores how the Gulf’s aviation story is evolving beyond traditional network carriers into a mosaic that now includes boutique premium brands, ultra-low-cost operators and regionally focused hybrids. As beOnd works through regulatory approvals, finalizes its air operator certificate and refines its route map from Bahrain, global luxury travelers will be watching to see whether this small Maldivian upstart can carve out a lasting space in one of the world’s most competitive premium skies.