Is “travel more” one of your goals for 2019? Read on…

If travel is your passion, then Dubai is a pretty strategic place to be. With two-thirds of the world’s population within an eight-hour flight, it’s an ideal base for exploring exotic destinations. And Dubai’s airlines are making it even easier for avid globetrotters, with new flight routes being added all the time.

Here are eight new flight routes from Dubai for 2019…

Vienna

Air Arabia launched flights to the cool European city on September 15, 2019. Initially, Air Arabia will operate four flights a week on Sundays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays to Vienna, and will increase to daily flights starting from mid-December. Vienna, also known of the ‘City of Music’, is one one of Europe’s most culturally rich cities, boasting baroque architecture and endless museums and art galleries. Vienna has been synonymous with music for centuries, and was home to Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Johann Strauss. As well as it’s quaint coffee houses, Vienna also boasts a beautiful festive market in the winter. So, perhaps it could serve as a good long weekend for a festive getaway?

Flight time: 6 hours

Kuala Lumpur

UAE-based Air Arabia began flights to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur on July 1, 2019. The daily flight from Sharjah International Airport is the first direct flight from the region by a low-cost carrier. Kuala Lumpur is a modern metropolis filled with the tallest skyscrapers in Southeast Asia and an array of rich cultural sights and attractions to visit too.

Flight time: 7 hours

Naples

Flydubai launched flights to the Italian city of Naples in June 2019, making the budget airline the first UAE airline to offer direct flights to the city. The flight leaves from Terminal 3, five times a week. From 13th century cathedrals to a wealth of historical museums, this culturally rich Italian city offers something for everyone.

Flight time: 6 hours 30 minutes

 

Phnom Penh via Bangkok

Emirates links Phnom Penh and Bangkok with its new daily service. Although this is not the first Emirates route to fly to Phnom Penh (they launched flights to the Cambodian capital in 2017), it will link passengers directly to the two cities. Flight EK370 departs daily from Dubai International Airport at 8.45am and arrives in Bangkok at 6.15pm. The same flight departs Bangkok at 8pm, arriving at Phnom Penh International Airport at 9.25pm. On the return segment, flight EK371 departs Phnom Penh at 11.20pm and arrives in Bangkok at 12.40am the following day. It leaves for Dubai‎ at 2.25am, arriving at 5.35am.

Flight time: 9 hours 45 minutes

Sochi

Flydubai launched two weekly flights to Sochi, Russia on Friday, June 7. The flights run each week on Mondays and Fridays. This cool city, located on the Black Sea combines pretty beaches, eclectic architecture and a peaceful marina with an impressive backdrop of dense forests and grand mountains. It’s also an excellent destination for winter sports enthusiasts, having hosted the Winter Sports Olympics in 2014.

Flight time: 3 hours 50 minutes

Mexico City via Barcelona

Emirates has announced a new flight route which will launch in December 2019 and give passengers the chance to explore Mexico City, a previously underserved destination. The route will be operated on Emirates’ newly refurbished two-class Boeing 777-200LR aircrafts once launched on Monday December 9, 2019. Each plane has 264 economy seats and 38 for business class. Mexico City is the first Mexican destination in Emirates’ offering, however due to the airport’s high altitude it’s not possible for the airline to fly direct from Dubai. According to a statement by Emirates, Barcelona was a natural choice for a stopover.

Flight time: 22 hours 45 minutes

Krabi via Yangon

Low cost Dubai airline flydubai has announced that starting from December 2019 it will be adding two new flights to its network, taking passengers to Krabi International Airport, Thailand and Yangon International Airport, Myanmar to its network. flydubai will operate a daily flight to and from Krabi, via Yangon from December 10. flydubai currently doesn’t serve either country, so the move is key for travellers looking to explore Southeast Asia on an affordable airfare. The flights will be codeshared with Emirates and operate out of Dubai International Airport, Terminal 3.

Flight time: 5 hours 35 minutes (Yangon) 8 hours 35 minutes (Krabi)

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Images: Getty