DUBAI, UAE / RankWire.AI / – Dubai-based airline flydubai announced on Wednesday a significant increase in its European route offerings, aiming to meet the rising international travel demand by adding more flights to key Italian hubs. According to Emirates News Agency, flydubai enhances its presence in Italy with increased flight frequencies to Milan-Bergamo and Naples, strengthening direct links between the United Arab Emirates and Southern Europe. Starting July 31, 2026, the airline will operate a double-daily service between Dubai International Airport and Milan-Bergamo Airport, while also boosting its flights to Naples International Airport to a daily schedule.
This expansion broadens flydubai’s overall operations in Italy, which already include three weekly flights to Catania Airport in Sicily and twice-weekly seasonal summer flights to Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport in Sardinia, continuing until the end of August. Additionally, the airline detailed operational adjustments due to scheduled infrastructure work in Southern Italy. As part of planned maintenance at Dubai International Airport, flydubai will temporarily reroute its daily service to Naples from November 1 to November 30, 2026, via Salerno Costa d’Amalfi and Cilento Airport. Normal flights to Naples will resume on December 1, 2026, with existing bookings automatically transferred to the Salerno route during this period.
Flydubai Enhances Service Offerings in Major Italian Cities
The extended routes to Milan-Bergamo and Naples remain part of the established codeshare partnership between flydubai and the flag carrier Emirates. This cooperation provides passengers with integrated travel plans, unified ticketing options, synchronized schedules, and through-checked baggage handling across both carriers. Connecting through Dubai’s hub enables travelers from Italian airports to access long-haul destinations across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, including direct flights to Kenya, Oman, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Zanzibar.
The capacity increase aligns with broader trends in commercial aviation within the Middle East and Europe, where international passenger numbers have steadily grown following the pandemic. Data shows that higher flight frequencies support increased bilateral trade, investment, and tourism between the UAE and Italy. The addition of double-daily flights to Milan-Bergamo enhances capacity for business travelers heading to Italy’s primary financial and industrial hub, while daily flights to Southern Italy cater to growing seasonal tourist demand heading to cultural landmarks along the Amalfi Coast.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai, expressed that Naples and Milan have become vital gateways within the airline’s European route network. He emphasized the importance of maintaining consistent regional access for travelers and reiterated the airline’s long-term commitment to expanding connectivity to underserved markets. Al Ghaith highlighted that market data indicates flydubai is strengthening its Italian operations through strategic frequency increases to accommodate the rising passenger traffic between the UAE and Italy, especially with the upcoming winter travel season.
Salerno Airport Serves as a Temporary Hub During Maintenance
Jeyhun Efendi, flydubai’s Divisional Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations and E-commerce, stressed that increasing direct flights to Naples and Milan-Bergamo underscores the Italian market’s importance to the airline’s strategy. Efendi pointed out that nonstop flights enable international travelers to leverage the combined networks of flydubai and Emirates, ensuring seamless access to global destinations via Dubai. He assured that the airline’s fleet and operational teams are fully prepared to manage the increased flight volume, maintaining high levels of reliability in both passenger and cargo services.
These operational enhancements are part of flydubai’s ongoing fleet expansion and international growth plan. As the airline continues to acquire modern narrow-body aircraft, its commercial teams are aiming for further frequency upgrades on high-demand European routes. The newly expanded Italian schedule reinforces Dubai’s role as a major aviation hub, enabling smooth passenger and freight movement between Europe and destinations across the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and East Africa.