flydubai resumes direct flights to Riga, Salzburg and Vilnius from December

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – flydubai will resume direct services to Riga, Salzburg and Vilnius in December, expanding its winter network across Europe. The reinstated flydubai European flights will connect Dubai with Latvia, Austria and Lithuania through three weekly services per destination. Operations will begin on 11 and 12 December 2026, offering additional travel options during the winter holiday season.

The routes will operate from Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport (DXB), supporting connections through the airline’s partnership with Emirates. They will provide access to the Baltic capitals and Austria’s Alpine tourism destinations. The expansion also strengthens connectivity between European markets and flydubai’s wider international network.

Three European destinations return to flydubai’s winter schedule

Flights to Riga International Airport (RIX) will begin on 11 December 2026. Services to the Latvian capital will operate every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.

From 12 December, flydubai will also serve Salzburg Airport (SZG) and Vilnius International Airport (VNO). Both destinations will receive three weekly flights, operating on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

All three routes will depart from Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport. The schedule provides nine weekly departures from Dubai across the three destinations.

The reinstated services form part of flydubai’s expanded winter programme. They target demand for cultural city breaks, seasonal leisure travel and access to European winter sports destinations.

The flydubai European flights will also provide additional connections for passengers travelling beyond Dubai. Through the airline’s network and codeshare partnership with Emirates, travellers can reach destinations across several international markets.

flydubai strengthens connectivity between Dubai and Europe

Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, highlighted the importance of the resumed services. He said: “Our direct services to Riga, Salzburg and Vilnius further enhance the breadth and diversity of our European network and reflect our long-term commitment to serving key markets across the region. These routes offer our customers direct access to vibrant cultural capitals, distinctive winter experiences and world-class Alpine destinations. As we continue to open up more underserved destinations, we remain focused on expanding travel choices and strengthening connectivity between Dubai, Europe and the wider flydubai network.”

The latest additions follow several recent developments across flydubai’s international route network. The airline has launched services to Aleppo in Syria, Bangkok in Thailand, Benghazi in Libya and Pokhara in Nepal.

Additionally, flydubai has announced plans to resume nonstop flights to Skopje in North Macedonia from 1 April 2027. The service will further expand the airline’s European connections.

The new winter schedule reflects flydubai’s continued focus on connecting Dubai with destinations across different international markets. It also provides additional travel options for passengers using the emirate as a connecting hub.

Emirates codeshare expands onward connections

The restored European services will operate under flydubai’s codeshare partnership with Emirates. Passengers will have access to hundreds of destinations across the airlines’ combined networks.

The agreement supports single-ticket bookings and through-checked baggage to passengers’ final destinations. This arrangement simplifies transfers for travellers connecting through Dubai International Airport.

Among the available onward destinations are Bangkok and Krabi in Thailand, Colombo in Sri Lanka and Kathmandu in Nepal. Travellers can also connect to the Maldives and Zanzibar in Tanzania.

flydubai operates a network covering more than 120 destinations. The resumed European routes will offer passengers additional options for reaching destinations across Asia, Africa and the wider network.

Jeyhun Efendi, Divisional Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, said: “Winter travel continues to be a key driver of demand, and we are pleased to connect Dubai and further beyond with these cultural capitals. With their spectacular scenery, historic architecture and festive traditions, Riga, Salzburg and Vilnius offer plenty of opportunities for our customers to enjoy a memorable winter getaway from December. In addition, customers who choose to travel with us can look forward to a comfortable journey, a thoughtfully designed onboard experience and seamless onward connections to over 120 destinations across our growing network.”

Onboard services and Starlink connectivity

flydubai operates a modern fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft, offering Business Class and Economy Class accommodation. Its onboard product includes lie-flat Business Class seats and ergonomically designed Economy Class seating.

Passengers can access internationally inspired meals, light snacks and refreshments during their journeys. The airline also provides inflight entertainment across all cabins without additional charges.

Also read → flydubai resumes Dubai–Skopje flights from April 2027

Meanwhile, flydubai has started introducing Starlink connectivity across its fleet. The rollout will provide complimentary high-speed WiFi as installation progresses.

These services form part of the airline’s wider passenger experience strategy. They also support passengers travelling between Dubai and European destinations on medium-haul services.

What the new routes mean for European tourism

The expansion of flydubai European flights strengthens direct air connectivity between the UAE and three European tourism markets. It also increases access to the Baltic region and Austria through Dubai’s international aviation hub.

For destination management organisations and tourism businesses, the routes provide additional distribution opportunities through the airline’s international network. The Emirates codeshare also enables connections with markets beyond the UAE.

Salzburg’s return is particularly relevant to winter tourism because of its proximity to Austrian Alpine skiing destinations. Meanwhile, Riga and Vilnius offer cultural and urban tourism experiences during the winter season.

The services could support inbound leisure travel while providing additional outbound connections for passengers based in the three European markets. However, flydubai has not disclosed passenger forecasts or projected economic impacts for the resumed routes.

Actual traffic performance will depend on booking demand, seasonal travel patterns and onward connectivity.

With nine weekly services across three destinations, flydubai is expanding its European winter schedule from December 2026. The reinstated routes will connect Riga, Salzburg and Vilnius directly with Dubai and the airline’s wider international network.

The article flydubai resumes direct flights to Riga, Salzburg and Vilnius from December first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

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