DUBAI, UAE / RankWire.AI / – Dubai-based airline flydubai announced a significant extension of its European flight offerings on Wednesday, boosting service frequency to key Italian destinations to accommodate the rising demand for international travel. According to official releases from Emirates News Agency, flydubai is strengthening its presence in Italy by adding more flights to Milan-Bergamo and Naples, thereby expanding direct connections between the United Arab Emirates and Southern Europe. Starting July 31, 2026, the airline will operate twice daily between Dubai International Airport and Milan-Bergamo Airport. At the same time, the carrier has increased its flights to Naples International Airport to a daily service, reinforcing its market position across Italy’s major urban centers.
This expanded schedule broadens flydubai’s overall reach within Italy, which already includes three weekly flights to Catania Airport in Sicily and seasonal summer flights twice weekly to Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport in Sardinia, running through August’s end. In addition to increasing flight frequency, the airline has announced operational adjustments due to scheduled infrastructure work in Southern Italy. During 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 are expected to resume on December 1, 2026, with existing bookings automatically transferred to the Salerno route during this period.
Expansion of Commercial Flights Boosts Bilateral Trade and Tourism
The increased routes to Milan-Bergamo and Naples are maintained under the established codeshare agreement between flydubai and Emirates, the international flag carrier. This partnership offers passengers seamless travel options, including integrated itineraries, single-ticket purchases, coordinated flight schedules, and through-checked baggage handling across both airlines. By leveraging the combined network via Dubai’s hub, travelers connecting from Italian airports enjoy easier access to popular long-haul destinations across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, with direct flights to Kenya, Oman, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Zanzibar.
The capacity expansion aligns with broader trends in commercial aviation within the Middle East and Europe, where international passenger volumes have steadily increased following the pandemic. These additional flights support growing bilateral trade, investment, and tourism exchanges between the United Arab Emirates and Italy. The increase to double daily flights at Milan-Bergamo enhances seating capacity for business travelers heading to Italy’s leading financial and industrial hub. Meanwhile, the daily flights to Southern Italy meet rising seasonal demand from tourists exploring historic sites along the Amalfi Coast.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai, commented on the network expansion, emphasizing that Naples and Milan have become vital gateways within the airline’s European network. He underlined that the company’s goal is to ensure reliable regional access for passengers while maintaining a long-term commitment to underserved markets. Al Ghaith highlighted that market metrics indicate flydubai is bolstering its operations in Italy through strategic frequency increases to accommodate growing passenger flows between the UAE and Italy, especially as travel volumes intensify for the upcoming winter season.
Additional Flights to Milan and Naples Increase Capacity and Connectivity
Jeyhun Efendi, flydubai’s Divisional Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations and E-commerce, stressed that expanding direct flights to Naples and Milan-Bergamo underscores the importance of the Italian market. Efendi noted that non-stop connections allow international travelers to take advantage of the combined reach of flydubai and Emirates, providing seamless access to major global destinations through Dubai. The airline’s management confirmed that fleet planning and operational teams are prepared to handle the rise in daily flights, ensuring consistent reliability across both passenger and cargo services.
These operational enhancements reflect flydubai’s ongoing strategy of fleet growth and network expansion. As the airline continues to add modern narrow-body aircraft to its fleet, commercial planners are aiming for further frequency increases on high-demand European routes. The new Italian flight schedules reinforce Dubai’s role as a global aviation hub, enabling smooth passenger and freight movement between Europe and expanding markets across the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and East Africa.