MEBAA is the biennial Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association show, held every two years in December at Al Maktoum International (DWC) in Dubai South. It is the dominant business aviation event for the Gulf, Africa, and the Indian subcontinent, drawing roughly 8,000–10,000 attendees and 40-plus aircraft on static display.
What is MEBAA Dubai?
MEBAA Dubai is the biennial trade show of the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association, and it is the single most important business aviation event in the Gulf. The show runs every two years, traditionally in early December, and rotates against EBACE (Geneva, May) and NBAA-BACE (Las Vegas, October) on the global circuit. It is where Gulf-based operators, royal flight departments, MRO providers, OEMs, and African and South Asian buyers actually do business — order announcements, fleet renewals, and FBO partnerships routinely break at the show.
The association itself was founded in 2006 by Ali Ahmed Alnaqbi and has grown alongside the region's business aviation fleet, which now exceeds 500 aircraft based in the MENA region. The show launched in 2010 and has run every two years since, with editions in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021 (delayed from 2020), 2022, and 2024. The next edition is scheduled for December 2026.
When and where does MEBAA take place?
MEBAA runs three days in early-to-mid December at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC/OMDW) in Dubai South, the same venue that hosts the Dubai Airshow in odd years. The show occupies the dedicated business aviation pavilion and static display ramp at DWC, which is purpose-built for these events and sits adjacent to the Dubai South Business Aviation Centre — the emirate's primary BizAv airport since operations shifted from Dubai International (DXB) in 2017.
Recent editions ran 6–8 December 2022 and 10–12 December 2024. The 2026 edition is expected in the same December window. Plan on arriving the Sunday or Monday before and departing the Thursday after — the static display takedown clogs the ramp on day three.
Who actually attends MEBAA?
Attendance runs roughly 8,000 to 10,000 visitors across the three days, with 400-plus exhibitors and a static display of 40 to 60 aircraft. The audience skews heavily toward Gulf operators (Royal Jet, Empire Aviation, Jetex, DC Aviation Al-Futtaim, Falcon Aviation, Jet Aviation), African charter companies, Indian subcontinent buyers, and the major OEMs — Gulfstream, Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer, Textron, Airbus Corporate Jets, and Boeing Business Jets all bring metal. MRO providers and completion centers like Jet Aviation Basel, Comlux, and ExecuJet use the show to court Gulf fleet owners.
The buyer profile is distinct from EBACE or NBAA: more royal and government flight departments, more heavy-iron interest (ACJ, BBJ, Global 7500, G700), and meaningful traffic from operators in Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and India. The Saudi delegation has grown sharply since 2022 as the Kingdom liberalizes private aviation under Vision 2030.
What gets announced at MEBAA?
MEBAA is where Gulf-region fleet orders and FBO expansions get unveiled. Jetex has used recent editions to announce new FBO locations and the Global 7500 fleet additions; Royal Jet has used the show for fleet renewal announcements; ExecuJet MRO Middle East and Jet Aviation Dubai routinely launch service expansions. OEMs typically bring at least one current production demonstrator — the Gulfstream G700, Bombardier Global 7500, Dassault Falcon 6X, and Embraer Praetor 600 have all been static-display fixtures in recent editions.
The show also hosts the MEBAA Conference, a one-day program covering regulation, sustainable aviation fuel availability in the region, financing, and fleet outlook. The GCAA (UAE General Civil Aviation Authority) and other regional regulators typically participate.
How do you fly private into MEBAA?
Fly directly into Al Maktoum (DWC/OMDW) — the show is on the field, and DWC is the region's dedicated business aviation airport. Jetex operates the flagship FBO at DWC and handles the majority of show traffic; ExecuJet Middle East and DC Aviation Al-Futtaim also operate facilities on the field. During MEBAA week, ramp space tightens significantly because 40-plus aircraft are committed to the static display, leaving less room for transient parking.
Book handling and parking at least 60 days in advance for MEBAA week. Expect handling premiums of 20 to 40 percent above baseline at the FBOs, and parking may push aircraft to remote stands or to Dubai International (DXB) for longer stays. Slot coordination is straightforward by Gulf standards — DWC is a 24-hour airport with two runways and ample slot availability outside the static-display window — but the GCAA still requires landing permits for non-UAE-registered aircraft, typically issued within 48 hours.
For crews staying through the show, the Dubai South area has limited hotel inventory; most attendees stay in Dubai Marina, Downtown, or DIFC and accept the 30-to-45-minute ground transfer to DWC. Traffic between Dubai and Abu Dhabi on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road tightens during show days — build in 90 minutes from Abu Dhabi.
Should you fly in via Dubai International instead?
Only if DWC parking is unavailable. DXB (OMDB) remains open to business aviation but charges premium handling, has no dedicated BizAv terminal since the 2017 move, and sits 45 minutes from the DWC show site in traffic. Operators occasionally drop passengers at DXB and reposition the aircraft to DWC, Sharjah (OMSJ), or Al Bateen (OMAD) in Abu Dhabi for parking. Al Bateen is the region's only dedicated executive airport and is a viable parking alternative roughly 75 minutes by road from DWC.
How does MEBAA compare to the other major BizAv shows?
MEBAA is the smallest of the three major regional shows by attendance but the most concentrated in deal flow per attendee. NBAA-BACE draws 20,000-plus and EBACE historically pulled 12,000 to 15,000 before its 2024 pause; MEBAA runs at roughly half of EBACE's scale. What MEBAA offers that the others do not is direct access to Gulf royal flight departments, Saudi and Emirati ultra-high-net-worth buyers, and the African and South Asian charter market — the fastest-growing buyer pool in business aviation. For OEMs and completion centers chasing heavy-iron orders, MEBAA is non-negotiable.
The show also functions as the de facto annual gathering for the region's regulators, financiers, and fleet operators in the off years when the Dubai Airshow is not running, making it the calendar anchor for Middle East business aviation.
Frequently asked questions
What is MEBAA Dubai?
MEBAA Dubai is the biennial trade show of the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association, and it is the single most important business aviation event in the Gulf. The show runs every two years, traditionally in early December, and rotates against EBACE (Geneva, May) and NBAA-BACE (Las Vegas, October) on the global circuit. It is where Gulf-based operators, royal flight departments, MRO providers, OEMs, and African and South Asian buyers actually do business — order announcements, fleet renewals, and FBO partnerships routinely break at the show.
When and where does MEBAA take place?
MEBAA runs three days in early-to-mid December at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC/OMDW) in Dubai South, the same venue that hosts the Dubai Airshow in odd years. The show occupies the dedicated business aviation pavilion and static display ramp at DWC, which is purpose-built for these events and sits adjacent to the Dubai South Business Aviation Centre — the emirate's primary BizAv airport since operations shifted from Dubai International (DXB) in 2017.
Who actually attends MEBAA?
Attendance runs roughly 8,000 to 10,000 visitors across the three days, with 400-plus exhibitors and a static display of 40 to 60 aircraft. The audience skews heavily toward Gulf operators (Royal Jet, Empire Aviation, Jetex, DC Aviation Al-Futtaim, Falcon Aviation, Jet Aviation), African charter companies, Indian subcontinent buyers, and the major OEMs — Gulfstream, Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer, Textron, Airbus Corporate Jets, and Boeing Business Jets all bring metal. MRO providers and completion centers like Jet Aviation Basel, Comlux, and ExecuJet use the show to court Gulf fleet owners.
What gets announced at MEBAA?
MEBAA is where Gulf-region fleet orders and FBO expansions get unveiled. Jetex has used recent editions to announce new FBO locations and the Global 7500 fleet additions; Royal Jet has used the show for fleet renewal announcements; ExecuJet MRO Middle East and Jet Aviation Dubai routinely launch service expansions. OEMs typically bring at least one current production demonstrator — the Gulfstream G700, Bombardier Global 7500, Dassault Falcon 6X, and Embraer Praetor 600 have all been static-display fixtures in recent editions.
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