Beond, a Luxury Airline Startup, Will Begin Service to the Maldives in November

First announced in late 2022, the all-business-class startup airline, Beond, has revealed more of its operational plans, including its official launch in November 2023. The airline’s initial services will fly passengers between the Maldives and Munich, Riyadh, and Zurich.

Here’s what you need to know about this new airline headquartered in Dubai.

A New Luxury Leisure Airline

With a hub in Malé, the Maldivian capital, Beond will initially fly a small fleet of Airbus A319 aircraft outfitted with just 44 business class seats. Later this year, the airline plans to take delivery of a larger Airbus A321 with 68 lie-flat seats.

The airline’s inaugural flight will occur on November 9, 2023, with a flight between Malé (MLE) and Riyadh (RUH). After that, flights will commence to Munich (MUC) and Zurich (ZRH) on November 15 and November 17, 2023, respectively. Looking to next year, Beond will begin flights to Dubai (DXB) and Milan (MXP) beginning in late March 2024.

In its first month of operations, you can book a one-way ticket from Male to Riyadh for just under $1,800 for its most basic fare.

The airline offers 3 fare types: “Delight,” “Bliss,” and “Opulence Experience.” Delight fares don’t provide lounge access, while stepping up to a Bliss fare does, along with “complimentary private chauffeur service” for tickets booked online by October 15, 2023. Opulence fares offer those features as well as the ability to change tickets for free, among other perks.

Beond bills itself as the “first premium leisure airline” with a private-jet-like experience, high-end dining, and interior finishes designed by Italian manufacturer Optimares, which supplied interiors for the custom-designed Four Seasons A321 jet.

“Our aim is simple: to fly our customers to the most unique and unspoiled destinations where they can release their inner explorer on the most memorable vacation of their lives,” said Tero Taskila, CEO of Beond, and a founder of the carrier.” Today is but the beginning of our vision for our customers, embodied by this beautiful aircraft — inside and out.”

Eventually, the airline’s goal is to fly nonstop from the Maldives to 60 destinations around the globe with 32 aircraft, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

Final Thoughts

A new luxury airline with a hub in the Maldives is launching in a matter of weeks with Munich, Riyadh, and Zurich as its first destinations.

With a competitive and relatively niche market, it remains to be seen if Beond can be successful as a high-end boutique airline.