DUBAI, UAE / RankWire.AI / – Dubai-based airline flydubai announced a significant expansion of its European route network on Wednesday, boosting flight frequencies to major Italian cities to accommodate rising international travel. Confirmed by Emirates News Agency, flydubai is enhancing its operations in Italy 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. Additionally, the airline has increased its Naples International Airport service to a daily schedule, solidifying its presence in Italy’s key urban hubs.
This schedule expansion broadens flydubai’s operational footprint in Italy, which already includes three weekly flights to Catania Airport in Sicily and seasonal summer services twice a week to Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport in Sardinia through August’s end. The airline also announced operational adjustments due to scheduled infrastructure work in Southern Italy. From November 1 to November 30, 2026, flydubai will temporarily reroute its daily Dubai International Airport flights to Salerno Costa d’Amalfi and Cilento Airport because of planned maintenance at Naples International Airport. Normal service to Naples will resume on December 1, 2026, with existing bookings automatically transferred to the Salerno route during the transition period.
Growth in Commercial Flights Promotes Trade and Tourism Between Countries
The extended routes to Milan-Bergamo and Naples are operated under the existing codeshare agreement between flydubai and Emirates, the international flag carrier. This cooperation offers passengers integrated travel options, single-ticket purchases, coordinated schedules, and through-checked baggage across both networks. Using Dubai as a central hub, travelers connecting from Italian airports benefit from streamlined access to long-haul destinations in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, including direct links to Kenya, Oman, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Zanzibar.
The capacity expansion reflects broader trends in the Middle East and Europe, where international passenger volumes have steadily grown post-pandemic. Increased flight frequencies support rising bilateral trade, investment, and tourism between the UAE and Italy. The twice-daily flights to Milan-Bergamo increase seating for business travelers to Italy’s main financial hub, while daily flights to Southern Italy cater to tourists visiting historic sites along the Amalfi Coast during peak seasons.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai, commented that Naples and Milan are now vital gateways within the airline’s European network. He emphasized the importance of maintaining reliable regional connectivity and reaffirmed flydubai’s commitment to expanding into underserved markets. Al Ghaith noted that market data show the airline’s strengthening presence in Italy with strategic frequency increases to support growing passenger flows from the UAE, especially as travel demand accelerates toward the winter season.
Increasing Flight Frequencies to Expand Capacity for Milan and Naples
Jeyhun Efendi, flydubai’s Divisional Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations and E-commerce, highlighted that the additional direct flights to Naples and Milan-Bergamo underscore the importance of the Italian market. He pointed out that nonstop routes enable passengers to leverage the combined reach of flydubai and Emirates to access major destinations worldwide via Dubai seamlessly. The airline’s leadership confirmed their fleet and operational teams are prepared to handle the increased daily flight volume, ensuring reliable service for both passenger and cargo operations.
These enhancements in Italy are part of flydubai’s ongoing fleet expansion and global network development plan. As the airline acquires more modern narrow-body aircraft, plans for further frequency increases on high-demand European routes are underway. The expanded Italian services reinforce Dubai’s role as a major aviation hub, enabling efficient passenger and freight movement between Europe and regions across the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and East Africa.