Beond Airlines launched operations in 2023, and it brands itself as the world’s first premium leisure airline. The company is headquartered in Dubai, but primarily operates flights to and from the Maldives. I reviewed the airline in 2024, and the onboard product was super pleasant.
A lot about the company seems questionable, and it’s hard to make sense of what’s going on at the airline. For example, in April 2025, the airline announced it would add 18 new destinations in 2025 and 2026, despite not having any more planes on order (at least as far as we know).
Over six months later, the airline added a single new seasonal route to Red Sea International, but it came at the expense of another route. Oh, the airline also announced it would add subsidiaries in all kinds of countries, launching premium leisure airlines in the United States, India, and more.
There’s now an interesting update, as Beond has just revealed plans to launch three new routes, which are already on sale. However, it’s all confusing to me.
In this post:
Beond Airlines adds flights to three new destinations
In late 2026, Beond Airlines intends to launch three new routes, and flights are now on sale:
- Service to London Heathrow (LHR) will launch as of December 15, 2026, with 3x weekly flights
- Service to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) will launch as of December 17, 2026, with 3x weekly flights
- Service to Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO) will launch as of December 18, 2026, with 3x weekly flights
All three routes will operate via Dubai World Central Airport (DWC), given that Beond Airlines operates older generation Airbus A320-aircraft (including one A319, and one A321), which don’t have the range to fly nonstop. It’s not yet clear me if Beond is growing its fleet (presumably it needs to), or what planes will be used for this service.
Suffice it to say that Dubai isn’t an ideal refueling stop nowadays. The irony is that Beond’s business model has partly been about stealing market share from the major Gulf carriers for travelers to the Maldives, yet a refueling stop there is still needed.
Arguably there’s never been a better time for Beond to be able to steal that market share, except for the fact that flights have to refuel, and the Gulf is the most logical place to do that. In recent times, we’ve seen the airline switch the refueling stops to Bukhara, Uzbekistan (BHK), adding around 500 miles to the distance. That sure must complicate logistics, given that at least historically, Beond’s crews are based in Dubai.
I don’t know what to make of Beond Airlines
Beond Airlines is legitimate, in the sense that it actually operates regularly scheduled flights. That being said, everything else about the airline just confuses me, and makes very little sense.
Over and over, the airline makes grandiose claims about its growth, how huge it’s going to be imminently, only for us to not see a whole lot come of that. Basically, most announcements from the company feel more like a fundraising pitch, rather than anything that reflects reality.
What happened to the 18 new routes that were going to be added before the end of this year? Which planes will the airline use for these new flights? What about all the subsidiaries?
It’s just hard to take all of this seriously, because there’s such a disconnect between what’s being promised and what’s actually happening.
Even take the November 2025 announcement about Beond launching a subsidiary in the United States in partnership with New Pacific Airlines, only for New Pacific Airlines to liquidate a couple of weeks later. At this point, the airline might as well announce A380 operations in partnership with Global Airlines.
Bottom line
In late 2026, Beond Airlines plans to add three new routes, to London, Paris, and Moscow. All routes will operate 3x weekly, with either A319s or A321s. It’s anyone’s guess if the airline is acquiring planes for this, or what exactly is going on.
For that matter, three new destinations is a long way off from the 18 new destinations we were promised. It’s all very odd…
What do you make of Beond Airlines’ new routes, and bigger picture, the disconnect between what the airline is promising, and what actually happens?
And then there’s this announcement: https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/beond-expands-luxury-airline-ambitions-with-bahrain-deal/
In light of the current Middle East situation, maybe they should rather refuel in Cairo. I'm actually not joking, Ben :-)
Oof. Awful timing... Take the BA nonstop from LHR instead.
Apparently due to the Middle East closures, some Beond flights have been refueling in Uzbekistan in recent days - this was mentioned in comments on HFP yesterday.
Given the current situation along the Persian Gulf in particular and Beond's limited network, I would have expected them to shift their refuelling stops somewhere along the Red Sea (e.g. JED) or Southern Oman (e.g. SLL, though not sure if the plane's range to western Europe would suffice) to avoid the greater disruptions in that area. Obviously this is easier said than done, especially given the operational challenges with crew positioning... but surely that's less...
Given the current situation along the Persian Gulf in particular and Beond's limited network, I would have expected them to shift their refuelling stops somewhere along the Red Sea (e.g. JED) or Southern Oman (e.g. SLL, though not sure if the plane's range to western Europe would suffice) to avoid the greater disruptions in that area. Obviously this is easier said than done, especially given the operational challenges with crew positioning... but surely that's less problematic than the pertinent sudden air space closures.
I'll put $20 down that they haven't actually secured Heathrow slots for this and there will be a cafuffle somewhere down the road where the flights will quietly be cancelled or shifted to Gatwick / Stansted.
Exactly what I was thinking. Given the operational challenges they've had with operating to MXP/MUC/ZRH especially due to low factors, there's no way they have the resources or ability to acquire LHR slots. If they have touché for proving me wrong... but I'd say that's probably going to be even worse for their bottom line.
This is a great point - the economics of flying a 50 seat business class only flight from LHR make ZERO sense given the cost of flying from LHR (are they going to be able to charge the same cost as Emirates First for a one stop flight from LHR in order to not lose money?). This entire airline feels like a money laundering scheme.
Or Luton lol
Live, Laugh, Luton
DWC might be genius because of few reasons. 1 because DXB isn't right by the sea or in the middle of town there's less chance of debris fall out. 2 there won't be a backlog when there is any disruption because it's well under capacity in fact planes trying to get to DXB or AUH divert to DWC
Edit i mean DWC isn't right by the sea or in the middle of town.
But Y
Launching flights through Dubai in present times seems like a very well thought our strategy. Well done Beond.