Your guide to all the new direct flight routes launched across UAE airlines

If you’re looking for new destinations to travel to…

Airlines across the United Arab Emirates are doing the most this season – new flight routes launching left, right and centre, hot off the press for all your future travel plans. With all these announcements happening at varied times, at varied intervals, it’s easy to miss or lose track of what’s going down, which is why we have compiled a list of all the new direct flight routes from the UAE you need to be in the know of, in one place. Easy-peasy.

Emirates

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Launching: August 1, 2025

This city is perhaps the best of both worlds – busy, bustling nightlife, with brightly-lit, narrow lanes, food markets, and roadside hawkers on one hand. Historical landmarks including the Independence Palace, Bitexco Financial Tower, Landmark 81 Tower, the War Remnants Museum and Bến Thành Market, on the other hand.

Baghdad, Iraq

Launching: August 3, 2025

If not for anything else, visit Baghdad for the history, going back several centuries. Today, it is a major center of Islamic history, the city is home to numerous historic mosques, as well as churches and mandis, highlighting the city’s historical diversity. The city is also home to important cultural sites such as the National Museum of Iraq, the Iraqi National Library and the National Media Center.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – from August 1

Oslo, Norway

Launching: September 1, 2025

The capital of Norway is a Scandinavian gem – lush and green with rolling forest landscapes, and boasting stunning historical architecture. Nicknamed The Tiger City, Oslo offers its visitors a taste of Scandinavian traditions and modern life. Visit for the incredible museums.

Book here.

flydubai

Chișinău, Moldova

Launching: September 17, 2025

This Eastern European capital is a goldmine of stunning Soviet-style and neoclassical architecture, taking you back in time. The population remains deeply cultural, and if you’re looking for a city less explored, perhaps a quieter part of the world to be a tourist in, this might be your next choice. Two weekly flights launch from September.

Iași, Romania

Launching: September 19, 2025

A first for the UAE – flydubai is making travel easier by becoming the first UAE carrier to operate direct flights to Iași International Airport. Located in Romania’s northeast, Iași is an Eastern European gem and is known for its historical charm, cobbled streets, and creative buzz – now just a direct flight away, twice weekly.

Riga, Latvia

Launching: December 12, 2025

Think fairytale towns, street cafés, and a completely different pace – Riga could be your foray into Baltic travel. The Latvian capital is known for its wooden buildings, art nouveau architecture and medieval Old Town. It’s a hotspot for culture and a bustling nightlife, with many bars and nightclubs in the Livus Square, and shops and restaurants in the pedestrian-only Old Town. Flights thrice weekly.

Etihad

Hanoi, Vietnam

Launching: November 3, 2025

The vibrant capital of Vietnam will welcome a daily Eithad service from November this year. Whether you’re looking to embrace the city’s serene side with a visit to the charming Hoan Kiem Lake, or see the impressive pace in the bustling Old Quarter, it’s a city of two sides that should be seen to be believed. Start planning now.

Hong Kong 

Launching: November 3, 2025

Hong Kong is known for many things – nightlife, food and a vibrancy found in few cities. Foodies, tech enthusiasts, and culture vultures frequently flock to Hong Kong. And with good reason – it’s a city that’s got it all. From November, you’ll be able to reach Hong Kong directly via a five times weekly service straight from Abu Dhabi.

Krabi, Thailand

Launching: October 9, 2025

While Southern Thailand’s big-hitting islands like Koh Samui and Phuket may draw hoards of tourists, those looking to discover an authentic and unspoiled side to this part of the world are best to base themselves in Krabi. With its limestone cliffs and clear waters, it’s a haven for those with a penchant for natural beauty. Etihad’s daily service will launch in October.

Medan, Indonesia

Launching: October 2, 2025

Trade Bali for Sumatra thanks to this new thrice weekly flight launching in October. Offering rich cultural diversity and a thriving food scene, it’s also the gateway to breathtaking natural wonders, including Lake Toba and the orangutans of Bukit Lawang, and a side of Indonesia not seen often in popular media.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Launching: October 3, 2025

The Cambodian capital will welcome a five times weekly Etihad service from October. The home of stunning landmarks like the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, Phnom Penh is a must-visit for history enthusiasts and culture vultures. Traverse it’s walkable riverfront, lined with parks, restaurants, bars and museums for a taste of Cambodian nightlife.

Taipei, Taiwan

Launching: September 7, 2025

This pulsing capital city is instantly recognisable thanks to its postcard-picture skyline of old and new, and is home to thriving night markets in equal measure. Taipei is a modern metropolis with Japanese colonial lanes, busy shopping streets and contemporary buildings.  Visit with a daily Etihad service from September 7.

Tunis, Tunisia – from June 1

Tunis, Tunisia

Launching: November 1, 2025

The colourful Tunisian capital of Tunis is known for its bustling medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site filled with souks, mosques, and historic buildings. This is a cultural hotspot, and also the center of the country’s commercial and cultural activities. Add it to your bucket list from November, when Etihad will fly here three times per week.

Algiers, Algeria

Launching: November 7, 2025

The capital of Algeria will become a direct travel route from Abu Dhabi in November, with a four times weekly service. A fusion of French and Arab influences is laced through the history and architecture in this city, where the narrow streets of Casbah and the scenic Mediterranean coastline are among it’s defining features.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Launching: November 3, 2025

As Abu Dhabi increases its connectivity to Thailand, a four times weekly service will launch between the UAE capital and northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai from November 3. Regarded as the country’s cultural heart, your Chiang Mai bucket list should include the treasured Old Town, vibrant night markets, and ancient temples. If you’re looking for lush nature in abundance, it’s one to book ASAP.

Atlanta, USA

Launching: Already in service

Etihad Airways’s first direct flight from Abu Dhabi to Atlanta has taken off, making the US city the airline’s fifth destination from Abu Dhabi. The Atlanta route will initially be served four times a week – on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays – with daily flights set to be launched by November.

Salalah, Oman

Launching: May 21, 2026

Etihad is launching flights to Salalah starting twice weekly, on Sundays and Thursdays, increasing to daily from mid-June to mid-September. Known for it’s high-altitude beauty and the stunning Khareef season, this is one Omani city you need to visit if you’re looking for some short-haul, regional travel.

Oman, Dhofar, Salalah, Turquoise pond and waterfalls of Wadi Darbat river

Krakow, Poland

Launching: June 16, 2026

The Krakow service with Etihad will include flights operating three times a week – Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays – until September 5. Known for its medieval Old Town, Gothic churches and cafe-lined squares, Krakow also provides access to Poland’s Tatra Mountains. It may be an unlikely option for the typical traveller, but there is a wealth of history here.

Book here.

Air Arabia

Munich, Germany

Launching: December 15, 2025

Munich is one of Germany’s wealthiest and fastest-growing cities, known for its sleek modernity, where centuries-old beer halls sit alongside cutting-edge tech hubs. The city has world-famous Oktoberfest and landmarks like the Frauenkirche and the English Garden, and green spaces and alpine proximity make it a great escape. Daily flights starting December.

Warsaw, Poland

Launching: December 20, 2025

The capital of Poland is where post-war reconstruction meets Soviet blocks and modern glass towers. The Vistula River cuts through districts that feel worlds apart – from the gentrified Praga to the orderly avenues of Śródmieście. Its cultural scene is thriving, with museums, cafes, and street art reflecting a complex past. Flights daily starting December.

Book here.

Images: Getty/Supplied