Saudi Arabia’s Astounding
2030 Aviation Vision — December 2022

If the Saudi Vision 2030 project becomes a reality, Middle Eastern aviation will be transformed in the same way as Emirates Airline, copied by Etihad and Qatar, developed the super-connector concept. Saudi’s aviation project goes beyond mega, it is on a giga scale.

Saudi Vision 2030 was initiated by Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (universally known as MBS). It aims to propel Saudi Arabia into a global post-oil power through rapid transformation of all sectors of the economy and a parallel modernisation of society. Travel and tourism are at the heart of the plan, which has been developed largely by US management consultancy firms — McKinsey has embedded itself throughout the Saudi administration (the Ministry of Planning is sometimes referred to as the Ministry of McKinsey), but the main authors of Vision 2030 were the Boston Consulting Group. Funding for Vision 2030 comes from the sovereign wealth fund, PIF, which has assets of up to US$1tn.