Vista Chases Growth In Japan's Private Flight Market

International private flight provider Vista is preparing to expand operations in Asia next year, having recently announced plans to increase its presence in markets such as Japan. In March, the group was boosted by a $600 million investment by Asian private equity firm RRJ Capital.

Late last month, the group relaunched its VistaJet and XO programs in an event at Tokyo Haneda Airport (RJTT) with one of its Bombardier Global 7500s on display. According to Vista, it achieved growth in flight volumes of between 45% and 55% in the country during the first half of 2025, although it did not specify actual flight volumes operated in cities that also include Hokkaido, Naha, and Osaka.

“One of the key drivers of strong demand is that these cities serve both business and leisure traffic,” said Vista chief commercial officer Ian Moore. “Osaka is a major commercial hub, while also providing convenient access to Kyoto. Naha is Okinawa’s business capital and the island itself remains a highly popular tourist destination.”

According to Vista, private flight operators are increasingly responding to demand for so-called “bleisure travel” in which the lines between work and personal time are purposely blurred. Moore said this is especially true among high-net-worth individuals.

“We are seeing increasing demand from clients in Asia who are looking for flexible and instant booking flight solutions,” added Crystal Wong, Vista’s president for the Asia Pacific region. “Through the XO app, Japanese clients may book and confirm their flights with real-time pricing.”

In the the first half, Vista reported 22% growth in its program membership. It said Japan proved to be the fastest-growing territory with an increase of 50%.

This year, Vista has also been pushing for growth in the Middle East region. In August, it announced that it had received approval from Saudi Arabia's aviation regulator to operate on-demand private flights on domestic routes.