WhyโฏElโฏGouna Private Airstrip Is the New Gateway for GulfโฏBillionaires
The 15โMinute Advantage
It is sunrise on the Red Sea when a GulfstreamโฏG650 glides onto the 1,600โmetre strip at ElโฏGouna (ICAO:โฏHEGO). In less than 15โฏminutes, its passengers clear a curbside immigration desk, board an electric buggy, and roll straight to a lagoonโfront villa. The same doorโtoโdoor journey from Hurghada International would take fortyโfive minutes. For Gulf ultraโhighโnetโworth individuals (UHNWIs), timeโand privacyโtrump everything.
1. A Boom in Gulf Private Aviation
Dubai alone now counts 81,200 millionaires and 237 centimillionaires, fuelling Middle East privateโjet spending that is forecast to climb from US$566โฏmillion inโฏ2024 to US$943โฏmillion byโฏ2029. Khaleej Times
With runways around Riyadh, Doha, and AbuโฏDhabi increasingly slotโconstrained, UHNWIs are scouting new points of entry for weekend escapes and assetโviewing trips. ElโฏGouna ticks every box.
2. Strip Specs That Matter to Jet Owners
| Metric | Detail | Why It Sells |
|---|---|---|
| Runway length | 5,249โฏft / 1,600โฏm asphalt, PCNโ29 | Handles largeโcabin Gulfstreams and Falcons without ferry fuel. |
| FBO support | 24/7 concierge, AviaVIP + Universal Aviation ground handling | Oneโcall ramp slots, catering, limo, and yacht transfer. |
| Operating hours | 06:00โ22:00; extensions on request | Night arrivals for RiyadhโElโฏGouna in <โฏ3โฏh possible. |
| Distance to villas | 5โ10โฏkm on private roads | Zero paparazzi, zero crowds. |
Because the strip is controlled by Orascom Development rather than the state civil aviation authority, operators obtain landing permits in under 24โฏhoursโa process that can take threeย days at Cairo or Alexandria.
3. Privacy, Not Just Proximity
ElโฏGounaโs airside road connects directly to gated marinas and villas; customs officers board the aircraft, stamp passports, and depart with the crew. There are no commercial arrivals, no terminal photographers, and no baggage beltsโa configuration that Emirati and Saudi royals now request by default, according to regional charter brokers. PrivateFly
4. ESG Credentials for ImageโConscious Elites
Gulf family offices increasingly pair carbon reporting with their travel choices. ElโฏGouna helps them keep the optics clean:
- A 15.8โฏMW solar park feeds both the airstrip and the resort grid.
- Electric tukโtuks and shuttle boats move passengers airside to dockside with zero tailpipe emissions.
- The townโs desalination plant recycles wastewater to irrigate GregโฏNormanโs golf courseโan oftโcited talking point at sustainability forums.
5. The Investment FlyโWheel
Orascom Development now markets real estate units such as Fanadir Shores and NorthโฏBay directly to top wealth managers. In Juneโฏ2025, the developer previewed both projects at Dubaiโs Private Wealth Middle East Forum, highlighting the convenience of โflyโin, walkโtoโclosingโ inspections via the private strip. TradingView
Average closing cycles for waterfront villas have reportedly fallen from six weeks to three because buyers can view, sign, and notarize in a single overnight stay.
6. Competitive Edge Over Traditional Gateways
| Cairo | Hurghada | ElโฏGouna Strip |
|---|---|---|
| 45โฏmin queue at VIP Terminal | 20โฏminutes by road to the resort | 15โฏmin from wheelsโdown to villa |
| Stateโrun FBO | Busy charter apron | Exclusive slots capped at 18โฏper day |
| Media exposure inevitable | Moderate spotting risk | Zero public access |
7. Whatโs Next?
Demand already exceeds the stripโs peakโseason capacity of 18 movements per day. Sources inside Orascom reveal feasibility studies for a 250โmetre runway extension and a solarโpowered FBO hangar to support wideโbody BBJs. Expect more Gulf billionaires to file ElโฏGouna into their flight plansโfast.
Bottom Line
Speed, secrecy, and sustainability converge on this sandy runway, turning a onceโsleepy airstrip into the preferred portal for Gulf wealth. When billionaires can shave thirty minutes off their transfer and still publish a carbonโbalanced trip log, the decision writes itself in jetโfuel arithmetic.
