New direct flight routes launching from the UAE in 2026
UAE airlines are continuing to expand their networks as the final months of 2026 approach, with a number of new routes still to launch before the end of the year. Recent tensions in the Middle East have led some carriers to adjust schedules and suspend services, but airlines including Etihad Airways , Emirates , flydubai and Air Arabia have continued to announce new destinations and expand their…
In 2026, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will introduce several new direct flight routes, as announced by various airlines. Etihad Airways, Emirates, flydubai and Air Arabia are among the carriers expanding their networks.
Etihad Airways will launch new direct flights from Abu Dhabi to several international destinations. Starting on March 20, they will offer four weekly flights to Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. The new route from Abu Dhabi to Salalah, Oman, will commence on May 21, with flights twice a week - on Sundays and Thursdays. Additionally, Etihad will begin four weekly flights to Damascus, Syria on June 12, followed by three weekly flights to Palma de Mallorca, Spain on June 12 for the summer season until mid-September.
Another seasonal route, also launched on June 14, will see Etihad operating four weekly flights to Zanzibar, Tanzania.
Etihad will also introduce ten weekly flights from Abu Dhabi to Almaty, Kazakhstan on June 15, as well as 10 weekly flights to Yerevan, Armenia on the same date. Baku, Azerbaijan will be connected to Abu Dhabi with 10 weekly flights starting on June 16. Flydubai, in contrast, becomes the first UAE carrier to operate direct flights to Benghazi, Libya, with daily services on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting on June 17. Flydubai will also launch daily non-stop flights to Aleppo, Syria on July 20.
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