Middle East Aviation Market Thrives as World's Second-Fastest Growing Region
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The latest analysis from leading travel data provider OAG 's new report, ' Middle East Skies: A New Era of Competition, Capacity and Growth ', reveals that the Middle East aviation market has expanded by 5% since 2019, making it the second-fastest growing region globally, behind only South Asia (12%). This growth is driven by a robust combination of Low-Cost Carrier (LCC) growth and Legacy Carrier capacity.
Both Emirates and Qatar Airways rank among the 2024 Top 20 Global Airlines by Capacity and the Top 10 by Available Seat Kilometers. Emirates Group, Saudia Group and Qatar Airways are the top three carriers by group position. Between them these three operated 127 million departing seats in 2024.
LCCs Reshape the Market
But the standout story from this report belongs to flynas, which posted a 63% capacity increase for 2024 versus 2019 — making it the fastest-growing airline in the region. flydubai followed closely with 56% growth, as both carriers operated nearly 14.4 million departing seats each, with flynas edging ahead by 25,000 seats.
Low-cost carriers (LCCs) now make up 29% of all Middle East capacity, more than doubling from 13% in 2014. Over the past decade, LCC capacity has grown at an 11.5% annual average, far outpacing traditional carriers.
Key Trends
Egypt dominates LCC routes in growing African market:
96% of flyadeal's African capacity is to Egypt
81% of flynas's African capacity is to Egypt
73% of Air Arabia's Middle East–Africa capacity goes to Egypt
Full-service and legacy carriers in the region rely heavily on connecting traffic:
84% of Qatar Airways passengers
77% for Etihad
66% for Emirates
Competitive Hotspots
The Cairo–Riyadh (CAI–RUH) route remains one of the region's most competitive corridors with eight carriers in operation. Dubai-Riyadh (DXB-RUH) and Cairo-Jeddah (CAI-JED) are also on the top end of the scale for competition, while Dubai to Heathrow (DXB-LHR) is a more concentrated market with four airlines competing.
Filip Filipov, COO of OAG commented:
'The Middle East region's strategic position as a global hub, coupled with the dynamic expansion of both low-cost and network carriers, is driving unprecedented opportunities. This vibrant market is setting the stage for future advancements in aviation technology and passenger experience and at OAG, we are thrilled to support this evolution.'
About OAG
OAG is a leading data platform for the global travel industry offering an industry-first single source for supply, demand, and pricing data.
For more information on OAG visit www.oag.com.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business Insider
Top 10 African countries with the highest cumulative debt to China (2000–2023)
Over the past two decades, China's financial engagement with Africa has grown remarkably, primarily through infrastructure-focused loans. China's financial involvement in Africa has grown significantly, focusing on infrastructure-oriented loans. The Chinese Loans to Africa Database tracks loan agreements from 2000 to 2023, showing trends in lending amounts and loan dynamics. Angola leads as the top borrower, repaying loans through oil-backed mechanisms for reconstruction needs. These loans have helped build roads, railways, power plants in several African countries, but they have also raised questions about debt sustainability, repayment risks, and the long-term autonomy of African economies. The Chinese Loans to Africa Database, compiled by Boston University's Global Development Policy Center, provides a comprehensive record of loan agreements between China and African countries over a 13-year period, from 2000 to 2023. It reveals not only the total loan amounts but also the number of individual loan agreements signed between African countries and Chinese lenders. After several years of decline, Chinese lending to Africa increased in 2023 the first rise since 2016. This recent uptick shows a shift in Beijing's strategy toward projects with clearer financial viability, as China becomes more selective with its lending. Below is a ranking of the ten African countries with the highest total debt to China, based on the cumulative loan amounts and the number of loans recorded from 2000 to 2023. Rankings of top 10 African countries by debt to China Rank Country Total Loan Amount (USD) 1 Angola $46.0 billion 2 Ethiopia $14.5 billion 3 Egypt $9.7 billion 4 Kenya $9.6 billion 5 Nigeria $9.6 billion 6 Zambia $9.5 billion 7 South Africa $6.9 billion 8 Sudan $6.3 billion 9 Ghana $6.1 billion 10 Cameroon $5.9 billion Angola tops the list, borrowing $46 billion from China through 270 loans. Much of this debt stems from post-civil war reconstruction efforts, particularly in the oil and infrastructure sectors. Angola's model of repaying loans with crude oil became one of the earliest examples of resource-backed Chinese lending on the continent. Ethiopia comes second, with $14.5 billion borrowed via 66 agreements, highlighting the country's deep reliance on Chinese funds for its railways, power projects, and telecommunications infrastructure. Key developments like the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway have been financed almost entirely through Chinese lending. Egypt, Kenya, and Nigeria follow closely, each holding debts between $9.5 and $9.7 billion. Egypt's loans have supported transportation, electricity, and real estate projects, while Kenya's financing was pivotal in constructing the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). Nigeria, similarly, has used Chinese funds for rail, road, and power initiatives. Zambia's debt of $9.5 billion comes from a notably high 82 loans, the largest number in the top ten. This suggests frequent borrowing, likely for smaller-scale or diversified infrastructure efforts. The remaining countries, South Africa, Sudan, Ghana, and Cameroon, each owe over $5.9 billion, reflecting years of engagement across transport, energy, and public service sectors. The growing debt to China shows Africa's dependence on external capital for development. On one hand, Chinese loans have enabled tangible infrastructure improvements that traditional Western financiers often hesitate to fund. On the other hand, the continent faces mounting concerns about debt distress, limited fiscal space, and vulnerability to external shocks.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Air Canada Inaugurates Flights to Prague
MONTREAL,, June 7, 2025 /CNW/ - Air Canada's newest international flight from Toronto took off yesterday evening and has arrived in Prague, Czech Republic. "We are excited to return to Prague, our newest Europe destination now added to our global network," said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer and President, Cargo. "Our flights connect two countries, facilitating travel, tourism and trade. We design routes like this one to appeal to our customers throughout our North American network, with convenient travel options at our Toronto hub. Whether people are visiting family and friends in Prague, exploring its celebrated architecture, bohemian history and rich culture, or customers from Central Europe visiting and exploring Canada from coast to coast, our flights make discovering all that our two countries offer easier than ever." Prague is the latest new Europe route Air Canada has launched this summer. The airline inaugurated its Montreal to Porto route earlier this week, celebrated the launch of its Naples route in May, and marked the return of the Ottawa to London LHR route in April. At the end of June, Air Canada will be inaugurating its Montreal to Edinburgh route. Schedule Flight Departs Arrives Days of Week 2025 Operating dates AC934 Toronto 21:40 Prague 12:10 +1 day Tues, Fri, Sun June 6 to Sep. 28 AC935 Prague 13:40 Toronto 16:50 Mon, Wed, Sat June 7 to Sep. 29 The Prague flights will be operated on Air Canada's Airbus 330-300. Customers can choose from three classes of service: Economy, Premium Economy, and Air Canada Signature Class, offering customers superior comfort and convenience in an exclusive cabin, with spacious lie-flat seating, personalized service, fine cuisine, extra baggage allowance and access to priority airport services. Visit to book flights to Prague! About Air Canada Air Canada is Canada's largest airline, the country's flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada provides scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and Internationally on six continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air Canada's Aeroplan program is Canada's premier travel loyalty program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world's largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental partners. Through Air Canada Vacations, it offers more travel choices than any other Canadian tour operator to hundreds of destinations worldwide, with a wide selection of hotels, flights, cruises, day tours, and car rentals. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada's passenger and freighter aircraft. Air Canada's climate-related ambition includes a long-term aspirational goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. For additional information, please see Air Canada's TCFD disclosure. Air Canada shares are publicly traded on the TSX in Canada and the OTCQX in the US. Internet: Read our annual report Here Sign up for Air Canada news: Media Resources:PhotosVideosB-RollArticles SOURCE Air Canada View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Trump travel ban includes 12 nations, partially restricts entry from seven others
Trump travel ban includes 12 nations, partially restricts entry from seven others Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump bans travel from several countries around the world President Donald Trump signed a proclamation that bans travel from 12 countries and restricts seven others. WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump has issued a full travel ban blocking the entry of foreign nationals from 12 countries into the United States, reviving a controversial policy from his first term that is likely to be challenged in court. Trump cited "national security risks" posed by citizens of the targeted nations, which include several Middle Eastern and African countries, in a June 4 proclamation he signed imposing the ban. He also partially restricted the entry of foreign nationals from seven other nations. The restrictions are scheduled to go into effect on June 9. The ban prohibits entry into the U.S. of foreign nationals from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Trump issued partial travel suspensions for foreign nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Trump presidency: Marco Rubio says US will revoke visas from Chinese students, add new restrictions In videotaped remarks from the Oval Office, Trump pointed to last weekend's fiery assault on pro-Jewish demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado, carried out by suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a native of Egypt who came to the U.S. on a tourist visa in late 2022 and stayed after the visa expired. "The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come here as temporary visitors and overstayed their visas," Trump said. "We don't want them." Egypt is not among the countries facing new restrictions despite Trump invoking the attack, which the White House has blamed on the Biden administration's immigration policies. Trump's travel ban: A timeline look throughout his first presidency Who faces a travel ban? The move comes after the Trump administration has worked aggressively to deport immigrants who are in the United States unlawfully, halted the government's refugee resettlement program, and last week announced plans to "aggressively" revoke visas of Chinese students. The ban resembles similar actions Trump took during his first term to bar the entry of foreign nationals from several predominantly Muslim countries. The restrictions do not apply to visas that have already been granted, lawful permanent residents, certain athletes, immediate family members of current visa holders, and other classes of individuals for whom the administration granted exceptions. Travelers react to the latest travel ban from President Trump "Pros and cons." Travelers in Los Angeles responded to the news of President Donald Trump's travel ban impacting nearly 20 countries. "In the 21st century, we've seen one terror attack after another carried out by foreign-visa overstayers from dangerous places. They should not be in our country," Trump said. "We will not let what happened in Europe happen to America." Council on American-Islamic Relations Executive Director Nihad Awad said the government already vets visa applicants extensively. The new order risks separating families, depriving students of educational opportunities and blocking patients from unique medical treatment, he said. "President Trump's new travel ban targeting mostly Muslim and African nations and raising the specter of more vague free speech restrictions is overbroad, unnecessary and ideologically motivated,' Awad said. "Automatically banning students, workers, tourists, and other citizens of these targeted nations from coming to the United States will not make our nation safer." Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said in a post on social media that the antisemitic attack in Boulder shouldn't be used to justify a ban on travel from primarily Muslim-majority countries. 'We'll keep saying it: the Jewish community's legitimate fears and concerns should not (be) exploited to undermine core democratic norms, or otherwise advance discriminatory & unconstitutional policies,' Spitalnick said. 'Doing so only makes Jews – and all communities – less safe.' Rep. Judy Chu, a California Democrat who introduced legislation in February that sought to prevent the Trump administration from banning travel to the U.S. by people of any religious group, lashed out at Trump on X. "Just now, Trump has re-issued his disgusting, bigoted, and Islamophobic travel ban. This goes against our core American values while doing nothing to make us safer. We can do better, we must do better," she said. What travelers need to know: Trump issues new travel ban affecting nearly 20 countries Trump revisits travel bans Trump's first-term travel bans were overturned repeatedly in the courts for apparent religious or racial motivations before being upheld by the Supreme Court. Within hours of the new ban, the International Refugee Assistance Project, a group that sued Trump in 2017, slammed the ban as arbitrary for making exceptions for athletes traveling to the United States for sporting events such as the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, "while closing the door to ordinary people who've gone through extensive legal processes to enter the United States." "It is yet another shameful attempt by the Trump administration to sow division, fear, and chaos," Stephanie Gee, senior director of U.S. Legal Services, said in a statement. Trump's latest ban follows through on a day-one executive order directing his administration to identify countries throughout the world "for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a full or partial suspension on the entry or admission of nationals from those countries." Trump said he evaluated recommendations from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi based on foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism goals and largely accepted their recommendations. Factors included whether a county "has a significant terrorist presence within its territory" or a high rate of people overstaying their visas, Trump's order said. The president said the administration also considered a country's "cooperation with accepting back its removable nationals." At one point, the administration looked at slapping as many as 43 countries with restrictions. Egypt was not on either of the draft lists that circulated in March. The president said in the order that Rubio and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller provided him a list on April 9 of countries to consider. The White House did not immediately explain why it took Trump nearly two months after he received the report to take action. The State Department did not respond to a request for comment. "Very simply," Trump said, "we cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States." Contributing: Bart Jansen, USA TODAY Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
