Flydubai expects to restore its network and seat capacity to pre-war levels by the end of 2026, with the Dubai carrier also open to moving slightly above that threshold as new aircraft join the fleet. Chief executive Ghaith Al Ghaith made the forecast in Dubai during Arabian Travel Market, while the airline was operating at about 85% of its pre-conflict capacity.
The recovery would bring one of Dubai’s key airlines back to around 100% of its earlier network after regional disruption linked to the Iran war and subsequent travel advisories weighed on demand. Flydubai currently serves about 130 destinations, compared with roughly 140 before the disruption, and expects to take delivery of 11 aircraft by the end of the year. Those arrivals are central to the airline’s capacity plan, along with easing regional airspace turbulence and restrictions.