Universal Aviation has begun operations at the new general aviation terminal and FBO at King Fahd International Airport (OEDF) in Dammam, described as the first dedicated general aviation terminal in Saudi Arabia.
The 42,000sq ft (3,902sq m) facility was developed in partnership with MATARAT Holding and Dammam Airports Company (DACO) and includes two VIP lounges, a pilot’s lounge, conference room, refreshment area, offices, showers and on-site customs, immigration and quarantine facilities. An approximately 20,000sq ft (1,858sq m) hangar, described as the first state-sponsored general aviation hangar in the Kingdom, provides climate-protected storage for aircraft operating in the Eastern Province.
Universal Aviation was awarded the concession to manage the Dammam GAT in late 2025, with the facility formally inaugurated in February 2026. The company has earned its GACAR Part 151 ground service provider certification from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).
Dammam is the first of three Universal Aviation flagship locations planned in Saudi Arabia. At King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah (OEJN), the company will manage an approximately 108,000sq ft (10,034sq m) dedicated private aviation hangar with full ground handling. At King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (OERK), Universal Aviation will open an exclusive private aviation lounge with full ground handling services. Both are expected to open later this year.
A centralized operations control center has been established for flights operating into, out of and within Saudi Arabia, staffed by English-speaking operations specialists providing a single point of contact for pre-arrival planning, service coordination and multi-city itinerary management.
“Today’s opening is an important milestone, but it is only the beginning of our long-term vision for Saudi Arabia,” said Greg Evans, managing principal of Evans Family Office, parent of Universal Aviation. “We are committed to investing in the Kingdom, developing Saudi talent and helping elevate business aviation service standards.”
Universal Aviation operates more than 75 locations across over 20 countries. The Saudi expansion follows the recent inauguration of its Guadalajara FBO in Mexico and adds to a development pipeline that includes a new FBO at Madrid and a facility in Samana, Dominican Republic.
