The UAE’s airlines are significantly expanding their global reach, now operating to 606 destinations worldwide, reflecting the country's robust tourism and business sectors, and the resurgence of travel demand.
According to the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), this represents a 3.4% increase from the 586 destinations at the end of 2023. Emirates leads with flights to 144 destinations, followed by Air Arabia’s 218, flydubai’s 125, Etihad Airways' 79, and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s 40 destinations.
Etihad Airways, in particular, has ambitious plans to expand its network to 125 destinations by 2030, aiming to boost its annual passenger volume to 33 million. The airline has already introduced several new routes this year and increased flight frequencies to popular destinations like Thailand and Nairobi.
Emirates continues to bolster its capacity across six continents and is currently modernizing 80 Boeing 777 aircraft as part of a $3 billion investment to enhance passenger experience.
flydubai has also expanded its network with new routes to destinations like EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg and plans to add seven new aircraft to its fleet by year-end. The airline is also actively recruiting to support its growing operations.
Air Arabia Group, operating from six hubs, including 113 destinations from the UAE, reported strong financial performance with a net profit of Dhs693 million in the first half of 2024, serving 8.9 million passengers.
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is expanding its operations with a modern fleet to meet growing demand and support its ambitious growth targets.
The UAE’s leading position in global civil aviation is further validated by its high rankings in various international metrics, including the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index and the International Institute for Management Development’s Global Competitiveness Report. The UAE excels in air transport infrastructure quality, the efficiency of air transport services, and the number of operating airlines, reinforcing its status as a key global aviation hub.
News Source: Gulf Business
