The UAE's national carriers, Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Air Arabia, and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi are expanding their routes in response to rising travel demand and the UAE's strong global tourism and business reputation. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) forecasts passenger traffic to reach 140 million, highlighting the continued growth and competitive strength of UAE airlines.
Currently, these airlines serve about 606 destinations worldwide, including joint and cargo routes, which is a 3.4% increase from the 586 destinations at the end of 2023. Here is the breakdown of destinations by carrier:
Emirates Airlines: Emirates operates a network of 144 destinations across six continents, covering Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The airline is modernising its fleet with an investment of over $3 billion, including upgrades to 80 Boeing 777 aircraft. This October, Emirates will introduce upgraded Boeing 777s to Zurich in Switzerland and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and add them to its operations in Geneva in Switzerland and Brussels in Belgium.
Etihad Airways: Etihad serves 79 destinations across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America. The airline aims to expand to 125 destinations by 2030. Etihad also plans to increase flights to Thailand to 41 per week starting in October and will resume flights to Nairobi in Africa in December. In the first half of 2024, Etihad reported a net profit of Dhs 851 million and expanded its fleet to 93 aircraft.
flydubai: flydubai operates flights to 125 destinations in 58 countries across Africa, Central Asia, Europe, the GCC, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast Asia. Recent expansions include direct flights to EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg and new routes to Basel in Switzerland, Riga in Latvia, Tallinn in Estonia, and Vilnius in Lithuania. The airline, which operates a fleet of 88 Boeing 737 aircraft, plans to receive seven new aircraft and hire over 130 new pilots by the end of the year.
Air Arabia: Air Arabia covers 218 destinations across six hubs, including the UAE, Morocco, Egypt, and Pakistan. These destinations span Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. In the first half of 2024, the airline served 8.9 million passengers and reported a net profit of Dhs 693 million, with a seat occupancy rate of 81%.
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi: Wizz Air Abu Dhabi serves 40 destinations, with a focus on Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The airline continues to expand its operations with a modern and sustainable fleet to meet growing demand.
These expansions highlight the UAE's growing influence in the global aviation sector and the increasing competitiveness of its airlines.