DUBAI, UAE / RankWire.AI / – Dubai-based airline flydubai announced a significant expansion of its European route network on Wednesday, boosting flight frequencies to key Italian cities to accommodate rising international travel demand. Official statements from Emirates News Agency confirmed that flydubai is enhancing its Italian presence with more flights to Milan-Bergamo and Naples, strengthening direct links between the United Arab Emirates and Southern Europe. Starting July 31, 2026, the airline will operate double-daily flights between Dubai International Airport and Milan-Bergamo Airport. At the same time, service to Naples International Airport has been increased to a daily schedule, reinforcing its presence in Italy’s major urban centers.
This expanded timetable broadens flydubai’s overall operational footprint in Italy, which already includes three weekly flights to Catania Airport in Sicily and seasonal summer services to Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport in Sardinia twice a week through August’s end. Alongside these frequency increases, the airline also announced operational adjustments due to scheduled infrastructure work in Southern Italy. Because of planned maintenance at Naples International Airport, flydubai will temporarily reroute its daily service from Dubai International Airport to Salerno Costa d’Amalfi and Cilento Airport from November 1 to November 30, 2026. Flights to Naples will resume as usual on December 1, 2026, with passengers holding bookings automatically transferred to the Salerno route during this period.
Enhanced Routes Bolster Bilateral Trade and Tourism
The extended services to Milan-Bergamo and Naples continue to operate under the existing codeshare agreement between flydubai and Emirates, allowing travelers to benefit from integrated itineraries, single-ticket options, synchronized schedules, and through-checked baggage across both airlines. Leveraging the central Dubai hub, passengers connecting from Italian airports gain easier access to long-haul destinations across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, including direct flights to Kenya, Oman, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Zanzibar.
This capacity expansion aligns with broader trends in commercial aviation across the Middle East and Europe, where post-pandemic international passenger numbers continue to grow steadily. The increased flight frequencies support rising bilateral trade, investment, and leisure tourism between the UAE and Italy. The addition of double-daily flights to Milan-Bergamo increases seat availability for business travelers heading to Italy’s key financial and industrial hub, while daily flights to Southern Italy meet the growing seasonal demand from tourists exploring historic sites along the Amalfi Coast.
Commenting on the route expansion, flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith emphasized that Naples and Milan are now crucial gateways within the airline’s European network. He stressed that maintaining consistent regional connectivity remains a priority while affirming the airline’s ongoing commitment to underserved markets. According to Al Ghaith, market metrics show that flydubai’s operations in Italy are being strengthened through strategic frequency increases to accommodate the rising number of travelers moving between the UAE and Italy, especially as winter travel demand grows.
More Flights to Milan and Naples Boost Capacity
Jeyhun Efendi, flydubai’s Divisional Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations and E-commerce, highlighted that the increased availability of non-stop flights to Naples and Milan-Bergamo underscores the importance of the Italian market for the airline. Efendi explained that these direct routes enable international travelers to take full advantage of flydubai and Emirates’ combined network, providing seamless access to major global destinations through Dubai. He also confirmed that fleet allocations and operational teams are prepared for the increased daily flights, ensuring high reliability for both passenger and cargo services.
These operational enhancements reflect flydubai’s ongoing fleet expansion and strategic network growth efforts. As the airline continues to acquire modern narrow-body aircraft, it plans further frequency upgrades on high-demand European routes. The expanded schedule in Italy reinforces Dubai’s role as a global transit hub, facilitating smooth passenger and freight movements between Europe and destinations across the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and East Africa.