DUBAI, UAE / RankWire.AI / – Dubai-based airline flydubai announced a significant enhancement of its European route network on Wednesday, aiming to meet the rising demand for international travel by adding more flights to major Italian cities. Confirmed by Emirates News Agency, flydubai is intensifying its operations in Italy with increased frequencies to Milan-Bergamo and Naples, thereby strengthening direct connection options between the United Arab Emirates and Southern Europe. As part of the new schedule, the airline will run double-daily flights between Dubai International Airport and Milan-Bergamo Airport starting July 31, 2026. Additionally, the carrier has elevated its service to Naples International Airport to a daily operation, boosting its presence in key Italian urban centers.
This schedule expansion broadens flydubai’s overall footprint in Italy, which also includes three weekly flights to Catania Airport in Sicily and twice-weekly seasonal services to Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport in Sardinia through the end of August. The airline also detailed 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. Normal flights to Naples are expected to resume on December 1, 2026, with passengers holding existing bookings automatically transferred to the Salerno route during the transition period.
Trade and Tourism Benefits as Aviation Network Grows
The new routes to Milan-Bergamo and Naples remain under the existing codeshare agreement between flydubai and Emirates, the international flag carrier. This partnership provides passengers with integrated travel options, unified ticketing, synchronized schedules, and through-checked baggage handling across both airlines’ networks. Connecting via Dubai’s central hub allows travelers from Italian airports to easily access long-haul destinations across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, including direct links to Kenya, Oman, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Zanzibar.
Aligning with broader trends in the Middle East and Europe, the capacity expansion supports the steady recovery of international passenger traffic after the pandemic. Increased flight frequencies are fueling growth in bilateral trade, commercial investments, and leisure tourism between the UAE and Italy. The addition of double-daily flights to Milan-Bergamo enhances capacity for business travelers heading to Italy’s leading financial and industrial hub, while daily flights to Southern Italy cater to the seasonal surge in international tourists visiting historic sites along the Amalfi Coast.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai, commented on the network expansion, emphasizing that Naples and Milan are now vital gateways within the airline’s European network. He underlined the importance of maintaining consistent regional access for travelers and reaffirmed the company’s long-term commitment to expanding connectivity in underserved markets. Al Ghaith noted that recent market data demonstrate how flydubai’s increased frequencies in Italy are designed to accommodate the rising flow of passengers between the UAE and Italy, especially as travel volume accelerates during the upcoming winter season.
Enhanced Flight Schedules to Milan and Naples Signal Greater Capacity
Jeyhun Efendi, flydubai’s Divisional Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations and E-commerce, highlighted that the focus on increasing non-stop flights to Milan-Bergamo and Naples underscores the strategic importance of the Italian market. He explained that direct connections enable passengers to benefit from the combined reach of flydubai and Emirates, facilitating seamless access to global destinations through Dubai. The airline’s commercial teams are fully prepared to support the increased daily flight operations, ensuring reliable service for both passenger and cargo services.
These enhancements in Italy are part of flydubai’s broader fleet expansion and international route development plan. As the airline continues to introduce modern narrow-body aircraft, plans are underway to further boost frequencies on high-demand European routes. The reinforced Italian schedule solidifies Dubai’s position as a major international aviation hub, enabling smooth movement of passengers and freight between Europe and expanding destinations across the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, and East Africa.