Saudia Group to Acquire up to 100 Lilium eVTOL Jets
Saudia Group’s firm order for 50 Lilium Jets, with an option for 50 more, is the largest-ever commitment in the eVTOL sector by an airline operator, per Lilium.
(Munich, Germany) Saudia Group and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle developer Lilium N.V. (NASDAQ: LILM) today signed a binding sales agreement for 50 Lilium Jets, with an option for Saudia to purchase 50 more.
Photo of Saudia Private CEO Fahd Al-Jarbou and Lilium CEO Klaus Roewe at the signing of Saudia Group’s sales agreement for up to 100 Lilium Jet eVTOLs courtesy of Lilium on Instagram, @lilium.
Saudia Group expects to receive the first jets in 2026, with operations to be managed and run by Saudia Private, a subsidiary of Saudia Group, per Lilium. The Lilium Jet will feature cabins with capacity for up to six passengers plus luggage.
At the signature ceremony held at Lilium’s headquarters in Gauting, Germany, Saudia Private Chief Executive Officer Fahd Al-Jarbou – representing Saudia Group – and Lilium Chief Executive Officer Klaus Roewe signed the contract. Guests included Michael Kindsgrab, the German Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; H.E. Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group; and Lilium Chairman Tom Enders, per today’s press release from Lilium.
According to Lilium, the sales agreement – which follows a Memorandum of Understanding between Saudia Group and Lilium signed in October 22 – marks the largest of its kind in the MENA region and represents the largest reported firm order of eVTOL aircraft by an airline operator.
The agreement includes a schedule of deposit and pre-delivery payments, timeline of future deliveries, guarantees on aircraft performance, and provisions on spare parts, maintenance, and repairs; additionally, the parties intend to sign a comprehensive “Lilium POWER-ON” agreement for aircraft fleet maintenance and support services, per Lilium.
“We are proud of our partnership with a market leading airline such as Saudia,” Roewe said. “And we are thrilled to be pioneering progress in the eVTOL industry as the eVTOL manufacturer with the largest reported firm purchase order from an international airline that plans to operate the aircraft. The Middle East is a priority for Lilium, and Saudi Arabia will be a very large and exciting market for electric, high-speed regional air mobility.”
Rendering of a Saudia Group – Lilium Jet eVTOL in flight courtesy of Lilium.
H.E. Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, commented at the signing event: “Saudia Group is proud to pioneer the MENA region as the first company to acquire all-electric eVTOL jets, which reflects our commitment to continuously reducing our carbon footprint and becoming an industry leader in regional electric aviation.”
“This agreement amplifies our commitment to the Saudi Vision 2030 and is the result of a collaborative effort over the past years between Lilium and Saudia Group to explore how we can best bring eVTOL to the skies of Saudi Arabia,” Al-Omar added.
Per Lilium, the agreement enables Saudia Group to further its objective of enhancing connectivity for travelers with new point-to-point city connections, such as Jeddah to Makkah, and is expected to reduce regional travel times by up to 90 percent.
Per Lilium, the order pipeline for the Lilium Jet now consists of 106 firm orders and reservations, 76 options, and roughly 600 aircraft under MOU.
