31 new flight routes for Middle East travellers this summer

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi-Almaty
Low-cost carrier Air Arabia Abu Dhabi began direct flights to Almaty in Kazakhstan on 3 June. It operates three times a week, on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. Flights depart AUH at 09:20 and arrive at Almaty International Airport (ALA) at 14:35. The return leg departs ALA at 15:35, arriving AUH at 19:20.

 

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi-Yerevan
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi began a new service to Yerevan in Armenia on 1 June, with six weekly flights (not Tuesdays). On Mondays and Wednesdays, flights depart AUH at 14:05 and arrive at Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport (EVN) at 17:25. The return flight departs EVN at 18:15, arriving AUH at 21:25. Every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, flights depart AUH at 09:00, arriving EVN at 12:20. The return flight departs EVN at 13:10, arriving AUH at 16:20.

 

Flydubai: Dubai-Antalya
Running until 30 September, Flydubai is offering seasonal summer flights to Antalya in Türkiye, the gateway to the Turkish Riviera. Daily flights will depart Dubai international (DXB) at 11:00, arriving at Antalya International Airport (AYT) at 14:30. The return service will depart AYT at 15:30, arriving DXB at 21:00.

 

Flydubai: Dubai-Al Alamein
Flydubai has also added Al Alamein on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast to its summer schedule operating 21 June to 7 September. The service departs DXB each day at 08:45, arriving at Al Alamein International Airport (DBB) at 12:00, with the return service leaving DBB at 13:00, arriving DXB at 18:00.

Emirates: Dubai-Da Nang
Passengers in Dubai can now fly to Da Nang in Vietnam four times a week, connecting via Bangkok. Services operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing DXB at 09:00 and arriving in Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) at 18:25. 

 

The service then departs BKK at 20:10 and arrives in Da Nang International Airport (DAD) at 21:50. The return flight departs DAD at 23:30 and arrives in BKK at 01:10 the following day. The flight departs BKK at 03:40, arriving in DXB at 06:50. 

 

Emirates: Dubai-Siem Reap
Emirates has also launched a direct service to Cambodia’s tourist hotspot Siem Reap, connecting via Bangkok and operating three times a week from 3 June, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Flights depart DXB at 09:00 and arrive in BKK at 18:25. It then leaves BKK at 20:10, arriving at Siem Reap International Airport (REP) at 21:30. The return flight will leave REP at 23:50 and arrive at BKK at 01:10 the following day. The flight will then depart BKK at 03:40, arriving DXB at 06:50.

 

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi-Beirut
Ultra-low-cost-carrier Wizz Air Abu Dhabi launched a new route to Beirut in Lebanon on 4 June, with flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, running until the end of August. Flights depart AUH at 08:15 and arrive at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY) at 11:50. The return leg leaves BEY at 12:30 and arrives AUH at 17:20.

 

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi-Gabala
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is also operating flights to outdoor destination Gabala in Azerbaijan on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 19 June through August. Flights depart AUH at 05:55 and arrive at Gabala International Airport (GBB) at 09:05. The return flight departs GBB at 09:40 and arrives AUH at 12:50.

Qatar Airways: Doha-Toronto
Qatar Airways has added five extra weekly flights to its existing route serving Toronto in Canada to meet rising demand. Summer departures will be every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with flights leaving DOH at 08:10 and arriving at YYZ at 15:00.

 

The return flight departs YYZ at 21:00, landing in DOH at 16:40 the following day. Winter daily flights will depart DOH at 08:25, arriving at YYZ at 14:40, with the return leaving YYZ at 20:10 and arriving DOH at 16:55 the following day.

 

Qatar Airways: Doha-Sao Paulo
Also due to rising demand, Qatar Airways has this month increased flights to São Paulo from 14 to 17 per week, with additional departures on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Flights depart DOH at 00:10 and arrive at GRU at 09:00, with the return legs leaving GRU at 10:30 and arriving at DOH at 06:45 the following day.

 

Ethiopian Airlines: Sharjah-Addis Ababa
Flag carrier Ethiopian Airlines started four weekly flights between the capital Addis Ababa and Sharjah in the UAE from 1 June. Flights depart Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 04:25, arriving Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) at 07:45. Return flights depart ADD on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 22:05, arriving SHJ at 03:25.

 

Flynas: Jeddah or Riyadh to Damascus, Casablanca, Rize, Geneva, Milan, Krakow
Saudi Arabia’s low-cost airline Flynas has launched direct flights between Riyadh and Jeddah and Syrian capital Damascus, with both services operating twice a week.

 

The budget airline will also boost its summer network with five new destinations, starting 21 June. Services launching from Riyadh include to Morocco’s cultural capital Casablanca starting 21 June and to Rize, a coastal city in Türkiye, as well as to Geneva, Switzerland’s second-largest city (three times a week from 24 June) and to Milan in Italy on 24 June and Krakow in Poland on 27 June. From Jeddah, there will be three weekly flights from 27 June.

 

Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo, Brazil

 

Flyadeal: Various
Saudi Arabia’s newest low-cost-carrier resumes its summer programme starting 19 June to five popular destinations from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. In addition, a new destination for 2025 is Salalah in Oman.

 

The five holiday hotspots are Trabzon in Türkiye, Baku in Azerbaijan, Tbilisi in Georgia, Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt, and Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Services launching from Riyadh include Baku, Tbilisi, Trabzon and Sarajevo (up to daily from 19 June), plus Salalah and Sharm El Sheikh (three times a week from 19 June).

From Jeddah, destinations include Tbilisi (up to daily from 20 June) and Trabzon (up to daily from 19 June), Sharm El Sheikh and Sarajevo (four times a week from 20 June), and Baku (three times a week from 19 June).

 

From Damman, there are flights to Tbilisi, four times a week from 19 June, and Baku, three times a week from 20 June.

 

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New flights launched in July 2025

Beond: Dubai-Munich
From 1 July, all-business-class carrier Beond begins direct flights between Dubai in the UAE and Germany’s Munich. The new twice-weekly service connects Munich Airport Franz Josef Strauss (MUC) and Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) with all-lie-flat seat configurations and gourmet in-flight dining. The luxury airline says more connections with Germany to follow.

 

Oman Air: Muscat-Amsterdam
Oman Air launched direct flights for the first time to Amsterdam in the Netherlands on 1 July. Operating four times a week using the B787-9 aircraft, the service is initially running through the summer months, connecting Muscat International Airport (MCT) with Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).

 

Valletta in Malta

 

Qatar Airways: Doha-Malta
Qatar Airways has resumed seasonal flights to Malta with four weekly flights from 2 July. Wednesday and Friday flights depart Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) at 02:05, arriving in Malta International Airport (MLA) at 06:45. The return service leaves MLA at 10:15, landing in DOH at 16:20. Monday and Saturday flights depart DOH at 08:45, arriving in MLA at 13:25. The return service leaves MLA at 17:05, arriving DOH at 23:10.

 

Qatar Airways: Doha-Manila
Qatar Airways and Philippine Airlines have commenced a daily non-stop service between Doha and Manila, as part of a codeshare agreement. Daily flights depart Manila International Airport (MNL) in Doha at 18:50, arriving at Hamad International Airport (DOH) at 23:40, with the return leaving DOH at 01:30, landing in MNL at 16:15.

 

Emirates: Dubai-Shenzhen

Emirates has launched daily direct flights between Dubai and Shenzhen in China from 1 July, making the city the first in mainland China to receive the retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER. Flights depart from DXB at 10:05, arriving in Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport (SZX) at 22:00. The return flight departs SZX at 23:55, landing in DXB at 03:40 the following day.

 

Emirates: Dubai-Hangzhou
Marking the fifth Chinese city for Emirates, the airline will launch a daily, non-stop service connecting Dubai and Hangzhou in the Zhejiang province of China from 30 July 2025. The service will depart DXB at 09:40, arriving at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) at 22:00. The return flight departs HGH at 00:10 and arrives at DXB at 04:55.

 

Etihad: Abu Dhabi-Atlanta
Etihad started four weekly flights to Atlanta in the US from 2 July, and will then increase the frequency to daily flights from 1 November. Flights depart AUH at 09:20 and arrive at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson Airport (ATL) at 16:20. The return flights depart ATL at 22:00 and arrive AUH at 19:30 the following day.

 

Atlanta in Georgia

 

Etihad: Abu Dhabi-Al Alamein
Etihad has launched twice-weekly flights connecting Abu Dhabi and Egypt’s Al Alamein, recently named the Arab Summer Resort Capital for 2025. Flights depart Zayed International Airport every Thursday and Sunday at 09:20, arriving at Al Alamein International at 12:35. Return service leaves Egypt at 14:15, touching down in Abu Dhabi at 19:05. 

 

Qatar Airways: Doha-Bogota-Caracas
Qatar Airways has expanded operations to the Americas with the launch of two weekly flights to Bogota in Colombia and Caracas in Venezuela. Flights will connect Hamad International Airport (DOH) to Bogotá El Dorado International Airport (BOG) in Colombia, and then continue to Caracas Simon Bolivar International Airport (CCS) in Venezuela. The return flight from CCS will be non-stop to DOH.

 

New flights to be launched in August 2025

Flynas: Riyadh-Moscow
Saudi Arabia’s budget airline Flynas will start direct flights between Saudi capital Riyadh and Russian capital Moscow from 1 August. The new route will operate three times a week — on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays — connecting Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport with Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport.

 

Saudia Expansion
Also worth noting is Saudia, Saudi Arabia’s national carrier, adding multiple new destinations, having already launched services to Bali in Indonesia, Athens in Greece and Vienna in Austria in April. Additional routes in Europe yet to be scheduled include Venice in Italy, Nice in France, Malaga in Spain, Larnaca in Cyprus, plus Heraklion in Greece. Closer to home, Saudia is adding the coastal cities of Al Alamein in Egypt, Antalya in Türkiye and Salalah in Oman.

 

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