UAE travel: 16 new flights announced for residents this year

When it comes to exploring the world from the UAE, the choices are plenty, and with the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, more new destinations are opening up for travellers.

With tentative holiday dates announced and the frequent launching of routes, residents can plan ahead of time and book seats in advance to ensure they get the best out of their trip.

Here we take a look at some new routes introduced by UAE airlines.

1. Düsseldorf, Germany

Etihad Airways will be introducing two new routes this year, connecting Abu Dhabi to Düsseldorf in Germany. Launching on October 1, the flights will provide business travellers and holidaymakers in the UAE and these key European cities with convenient travel options to and from Abu Dhabi, with four weekly flights to Copenhagen and three weekly flights to Düsseldorf. The flights will be operated using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, offering one of the most comfortable experiences in the sky with 28 seats in Business and 262 in Economy.

2. Izmir, Turkey

Flydubai, the Dubai-based airline, has announced that it will operate flights to 10 new destinations from June 23, among the popular destinations are Izmir.

The airline is also expected to resume routes to popular seasonal summer destinations, such as Pisa, Bodrum, Mykonos, Santorini and Tivat.

3. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Air Arabia will be starting direct flights to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur from March 20, 2023. The airline will operate three flights per week from Sharjah International Airport to the destination.

4. Kolkata, India

Etihad Airways will be operating daily flights from Abu Dhabi to Kolkata from March 26, 2023. The airline will operate seven weekly services to the Indian destination.

5. Corfu, Greece

From June 24, Flydubai will be operating bi-weekly flights from Dubai to the Greek island of Corfu.

6. Sydney, Melbourne, Australia

Emirates has taken yet another significant step in the resumption of its Australia capacity by increasing its service to two major cities – Sydney and Melbourne.

The airline will also restart services to Christchurch, New Zealand via Sydney, offering a new path for Australians across the trans-Tasman route.

From March 26, Melbourne will increase from two to three daily services between Emirates’ Dubai hub via Singapore, with a third direct service to also begin to Sydney from May 1. The service increase follows the airline’s recent announcement around double daily flights to Brisbane, starting from June 1.

7. Shanghai, Beijing, China

Emirates will ramp up its operations in China ahead of the New Lunar Year and in response to strong travel demand, boosting connectivity to its gateways; Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing as the country reopens its borders and eases its Covid-related entry restrictions.

Shanghai – service resumption from January 20, 2023 with twice weekly service, gradually increasing to daily service from March 1, 2023.

Emirates will resume passenger services to Shanghai starting with two weekly flights operated by an Airbus A380 aircraft from January 20, 2023, with EK302 departing from Dubai to Shanghai non-stop and EK303 making a short stop in Bangkok before returning to Dubai. This service will ramp up in frequency to four weekly flights operated by a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from 02 February 2023.

8. Copenhagen, Denmark

Etihad Airways will be introducing two new routes this year, connecting Abu Dhabi to Copenhagen in Denmark. Launching on October 1, the flights will provide business travellers and holidaymakers in the UAE and these key European cities with convenient travel options to and from Abu Dhabi, with four weekly flights to Copenhagen and three weekly flights to Düsseldorf. The flights will be operated using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, offering one of the most comfortable experiences in the sky with 28 seats in Business and 262 in Economy.

9. Kenya

Last month, Kenya Airways announced the launch of new non-stop flights from Mombasa to Dubai. The airline said in the announcement that it will operate a Boeing 737-800, four times a week. The travel time to Kenya has been reduced, making it an attractive destination for tourists from the region.

10. Bangkok

Emirates announced its fourth flight to Bangkok and Dubai from January 1, boosting connectivity between the two gateways and providing more options for travellers. The airline now offers 28 weekly flights to Bangkok and 14 weekly flights to popular tourist hotspot Phuket as well as onwards to 130 destinations across 6 continents.

11. Ashgabat

Dubai-based airline flydubai announced the resumption of operations to Ashgabat in Turkmenistan from January 23. The carrier commenced its operations with a twice-weekly service.

12. Ankara

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi started its operations to the new route of Ankara. The new route provides hassle-free, point-to-point travel for tourists and residents in both the UAE and Turkey. The flight from Abu Dhabi to Ankara operates on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

13. Neom, Najran, Madinah and more in Saudi Arabia

Flydubai announced in March 2023 the launch of four routes to destinations in Saudi Arabia. Passengers can take flights from Dubai to Neom from March 16, Najran from 18 March, Al Qaisumah from March 21 and Jizan from April 26. Earlier this year, the airline also resumed its operations to AlUla with a twice-weekly service from January 12.

14. Baku, Azerbaijan

Low-cost carrier Air Arabia Abu Dhabi has announced the launch of new direct flights from Abu Dhabi to Baku in Azerbaijan. The direct flights will connect Abu Dhabi International Airport to Heydar Aliyev International Airport with a frequency of three flights per week. Starting from September 13, the flights will operate on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

15. Mogadishu, Somalia

Flydubai, the Dubai-based airline, announced today the launch of a daily service to Mogadishu Aden Adde International Airport (MGQ) from March 9, 2023. The carrier will double the frequency of flights from June 1, 2023, making it the first carrier to connect Somalia directly with Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.

16. Amman, Jordan

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi has announced the launch of a new route from Abu Dhabi to Amman, Jordan. The direct flights will connect the two cities' airports with a frequency of three flights weekly starting 12th March, 2023.

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