
Travel: Which new destinations are UAE airlines flying to in 2025?
Last updated: February 18, 2025 | 06:00
2 MIN READ
Budget carriers Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and Air Arabia are also growing their route offerings. Jason Toevs / Pexels
Dubai: UAE airlines, including Etihad Airways, Wizz Air, Air Arabia, and flydubai, are gearing up for a busy 2025 with scheduled flights to nearly 20 new destinations. Etihad Airways, the UAE's flag carrier, is expanding its network with at least 14 new destinations in 2025, including Atlanta, Hong Kong, Chiang Mai, and Krabi.
Budget carriers Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and Air Arabia are also growing their route offerings.
Also, UAE carriers have introduced off-peak airfare deals to attract travellers, with Air Arabia is launching a major seat sale offering 500,000 seats starting at just Dh129.
Here are some of the destinations UAE residents can include in their travel bucket list this year: Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways will introduce direct flights to Sochi, Russia, starting May 29. The carrier will fly between Zayed International Airport, Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Sochi International Airport (AER) thrice a week. The flights are on sale now, and Etihad fly to Sochi using the modern A320 family aircraft. It is the 14th new destination the airline will add to its network this year.
Etihad will also commence flights to Atlanta, Hanoi, Hong Kong and Taipei, as well as to the European capitals of Prague and Warsaw. Expanding its network across North Africa, Etihad will begin flying to Algiers, Tunis and Al Alamein. flydubai
flydubai will begin offering daily flights to Al Alamein, Egypt, starting on June 21 and continuing until September 7. Last year, the Dubai carrier grew its network in Europe to 43 destinations in 21 countries despite being forced to cancel the launch of routes planned amid jet delivery delays at Boeing and supply chain problems. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will expand its network with thrice-weekly flights to Varna, Bulgaria, starting March 31. Fares to Varna begin at Dh279. The national airline unlocked more than 4.4 million ultra-low-cost seats and carried 3.5 million passengers directly last year. The joint venture established between ADQ and Wizz Air Holdings PLC achieved 20 per cent growth year-on-year in seat capacity and the number of passengers carried. Air Arabia
Air Arabia has also commenced thrice-weekly flights from Sharjah to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 30. Boosting routes
Dubai's flagship carrier, Emirates, is boosting its flights to Madagascar to meet robust travel demand. The airline will introduce additional flights to the island nation, boosting its schedule from four to six-weekly services, starting April 2. Saudi carriers
Meanwhile, UAE carriers aren't the only ones launching new routes this year. Saudia has announced a significant expansion of its global flight network, adding more than ten new destinations for 2025. The additions to Saudia's network include Vienna (Austria), Venice (Italy), Larnaca (Cyprus), Athens and Heraklion (Greece), Nice (France), Malaga (Spain), Bali (Indonesia), Antalya (Turkey), El Alamein (Egypt), and Salalah (Oman).
Sign up for the Daily Briefing
Get the latest news and updates straight to your inbox

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Al Etihad
26 minutes ago
- Al Etihad
Etihad Airways accelerates growth with record aircraft deliveries
30 July 2025 19:04 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Etihad Airways achieved a significant milestone in its fleet expansion programme with July 2025 becoming the busiest month for aircraft deliveries in the airline's 22-year history. Throughout July, Etihad took delivery of five aircraft including its inaugural A321LR, two Boeing 787 Dreamliners, one Airbus A350-1000, and one Airbus record-breaking month demonstrates the airline's commitment to rapid growth as it works towards its target to carry 38 million passengers annually by 2030. The five aircraft will significantly enhance Etihad's capacity across its expanding global Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said: "July has been a remarkable month for Etihad Airways. Taking delivery of five aircraft is our most intensive delivery programme to date and showcases our ambitious growth trajectory. These aircraft will enable us to serve more destinations, offer increased frequencies, and deliver the exceptional experiences our guests expect across our network."The delivery programme reflects Etihad's strategic approach to fleet modernisation, with each aircraft type serving specific network requirements. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner will support long-haul operations to destinations across Asia, Australia, and North America, while the Airbus A350-1000 will enhance capacity on high-demand routes. A particular highlight of July's deliveries was Etihad's first Airbus A321LR, which represents a significant milestone as the airline's inaugural aircraft of this type. Etihad defines luxury again with a revolutionary cabin configuration to Etihad's narrowbody operations, featuring dedicated First Suites alongside lie-flat Business seats, a first for narrowbody aircraft in the region, and enhanced Economy seating with seatback entertainment - bringing premium in-flight experiences to medium and short-haul routes. The deliveries bring Etihad's total fleet to 106 aircraft. The airline operates one of the world's youngest fleets, with an average aircraft age of 8.7 years, supporting operational efficiency and enhanced passenger aircraft deliveries support Etihad's recently announced network expansion, which includes 27 new destinations and increased frequencies across existing routes. The airline has experienced remarkable growth, carrying more than 20 million passengers in the last 12 months for the first time in its history, doubling passenger numbers from 2022 fleet expansion programme continues beyond July, with 20 additional aircraft per annum expected for delivery throughout 2025 and 2026. By expanding its fleet and network, Etihad Airways is strengthening Abu Dhabi's position as a global aviation hub and offering unparalleled travel experiences to millions of passengers worldwide. For more information, please visit


Sharjah 24
an hour ago
- Sharjah 24
Air Arabia expands Russian network from Ras Al Khaimah
Flight schedule to Yekaterinburg and Kazan Starting October 27, 2025, Air Arabia will operate weekly flights to Yekaterinburg's Koltsovo International Airport every Monday. Non-stop service to Kazan International Airport will commence on October 31, 2025, with flights scheduled every Friday. Strengthening UAE-Russia travel and trade links Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, stated, 'We are glad to introduce our new non-stop services from Ras Al Khaimah to Yekaterinburg and Kazan, further expanding our growing network from the emirate. Russia remains a key market for us, and these additions reflect our commitment to offering more travel options while supporting the continued growth of tourism and trade between the UAE and Russia.' Expanding presence in the Russian market With the addition of Yekaterinburg and Kazan, Air Arabia continues to strengthen its Russian network, building on its existing service to Moscow. The expansion from Ras Al Khaimah reinforces the airline's commitment to affordable and convenient connectivity for both leisure and business travelers. Multiple UAE gateways to Russia In addition to the new Ras Al Khaimah routes, Air Arabia operates direct flights to Yekaterinburg from Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, and to Kazan from Sharjah. These options provide passengers across the UAE with greater flexibility when flying to Russia. Growing network from Ras Al Khaimah Air Arabia currently operates direct flights from Ras Al Khaimah to 10 international destinations. These include Cairo, Jeddah, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Calicut, Moscow, Tashkent, and now Yekaterinburg and Kazan. Modern fleet and enhanced passenger experience The airline operates a modern fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, known for their comfort and efficiency. The cabin layout offers one of the most spacious seat pitches in economy class. Passengers can enjoy 'SkyTime', a free in-flight streaming service that delivers a range of entertainment directly to personal devices, along with a selection of meals and snacks available from the onboard 'SkyCafe' menu. Booking now open Customers can now book their direct flights to Yekaterinburg and Kazan through Air Arabia's website, call center, or their preferred travel agencies.


Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
3t appoints new VP to lead Saudi Ttraining centre, driving vision 2030 workforce goals
GTSC, part of 3t, has appointed Askar Salem Alyami as Vice President of its Saudi Arabian training operations to strengthen its growth and support local talent development in line with Saudi Vision 2030. Askar will lead the GTSC training centre, enhancing its role in 3t's global network to equip Saudi professionals with skills for the evolving energy landscape. Askar Salem Alyami, Vice President of 3t's GTSC Saudi Arabian training operations, said: 'I'm honoured to join 3t at such a pivotal time. I look forward to driving strategic partnerships and delivering world-class training that supports Vision 2030. T ogether, we'll grow GTSC's impact, strengthen workforce development, and accelerate 3t's success across Saudi Arabia and beyond.' Dammam, Saudi Arabia – GTSC, part of 3t, the leading global provider of workforce training and competency for safety-critical industries, has announced the appointment of Askar Salem Alyami as Vice President of its Saudi Arabian training centre operations. This strategic appointment marks a significant step in 3t's continued commitment to advancing its growth story in the Kingdom and supporting the development of local talent to meet future energy challenges. In his new role, Askar will oversee the company's Dammam training centre operations, positioning it as an integral part of 3t's global training and development network. The centre plays a vital role in equipping the next generation of Saudi professionals with the skills, knowledge, and expertise needed to drive innovation and sustainability in the energy sector, in full alignment with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. Askar Salem Alyami, newly appointed Vice President of 3t's GTSC Saudi Arabian training operations, said: 'I am honoured to join 3t at this pivotal time and look forward to driving strategic partnerships and delivering world-class training that supports the Kingdom's Vision 2030 transformation goals. 'Together with our talented team, I aim to bring my experience to expand GTSC's presence in key sectors, improve workforce development and industrial excellence across Saudi Arabia, while accelerating 3t's growth story in the region and take our success to new heights, both locally and globally.' With over 15 years of experience in major organisations such as Aramco, SABIC and the Saudi Water Authority, Askar brings extensive expertise in training, consultancy and business development to 3t. Throughout his career, he has held various leadership positions, delivering training programs and strategic partnerships that have empowered workforces and strengthened organisational capabilities across the region. He now aims to leverage this experience to enhance 3t's regional and global performance and deliver tangible business results for customers, positioning the GTSC centre as the go-to place for safety-critical training in the region. Hani Sagr, Managing Director for 3t's MENA region, said: 'We are delighted to welcome Askar to 3t's Middle East leadership team. His local experience in training, proven track record in business development, and passion for people-centric growth will be instrumental as we invest in the region and strengthen our position as a trusted partner in supporting the Kingdom's ambitious energy and economic transformation.' Under Askar's leadership, the Saudi Arabian centre will continue to expand its suite of accredited training programs and valued customer partnerships, fostering an environment where Saudi talent can thrive and contribute to solving the world's evolving energy challenges. GTSC has been part of 3t since September 2024 following its acquisition, and is the largest dedicated energy training provider in the Middle East, operating in Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Since its founding, it has trained nearly one million people across technical, HSE, offshore survival, and firefighting disciplines, as it currently helps train over 100,000 people annually. The centre offers over 600 accredited courses with advanced simulators, lifeboat platforms, firefighting grounds, and HUET pools. About 3t 3t is the leading provider of training services and learning technology solutions. With Training, Technology and Transformation at the core of its offering, 3t provides the highest-impact learning solutions for safety-critical industries, including energy, renewables, marine, construction, gas, electric and water. As the world leader in workforce training and competency, 3t is focused on delivering a prosperous future for individuals, its customers, and its industries. 3t is the number one provider of training to the UK Energy Sector and the Global Offshore Wind market and its drilling and well control simulation business is the world leader. With offices and training centres located across the UK, the Americas, and the Middle East, the 3t team is represented by 17 nationalities and present in 60 countries worldwide.