Browsing: Travel

Emirates enters winter season with strong booking momentum following a high-density summer operational period during which the airline transported more than 8.6 million passengers between July and August across 140 global destinations. Reports from international aviation sources indicate that advance bookings for the upcoming holiday period remain high in both premium cabins and economy class. To meet the anticipated winter travel demand, Emirates is accelerating its multi-billion-dollar fleet modernization and service enhancement programs. The airline is increasing the deployment of newly retrofitted Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft and expanding the availability of its Premium Economy cabin on additional routes.

Etihad Airways will initiate nonstop flights connecting Abu Dhabi with Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea shoreline starting on Oct. 4, 2026. The route will link Zayed International Airport to Red Sea International Airport in Tabuk Province. Initially, the airline will operate once weekly, increasing to twice weekly from Oct. 25. The flight duration is just over three hours, marking a sixth Saudi destination within Etihad’s flight network.

Anak Krakatau ash hits nearly 3,000 flights in Indonesia. Indonesia reopened Jakarta’s main airport and several regional airports Tuesday after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau disrupted air travel. More than 340,000 travelers faced delays, cancellations or diversions during the disruption. Nearly 3,000 flights across Indonesia felt the impact. Authorities reopened Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after winds cleared ash from critical aviation areas. Anak Krakatau remained active Tuesday, with monitors recording three smaller eruptions during the morning.

Air Arabia announced a strategic boost to its Southeast Asian routes on Friday, increasing the number of flights between the United Arab Emirates and Thailand. Effective October 25, 2026, the airline will launch a fourth non-stop service daily connecting Sharjah International Airport with Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. This addition raises the weekly non-stop flights on the Sharjah-Bangkok route to 28, offering more flexibility for both leisure and business travelers. Air Arabia increases Bangkok service frequency to four daily flights from Sharjah, responding to rising regional travel demand across key commercial routes.

In July 2026, South Korea welcomed over 2 million foreign travelers, marking a continued rebound above pre-pandemic levels. Data indicate widespread growth across South Korea’s key inbound markets, with China remaining the dominant source. Chinese travelers contributed roughly 777,000 arrivals, followed by visitors from Japan, Taiwan, the United States, and Hong Kong. Leading Asian Markets Drive Visitor Increases The U.S. saw a 54.4% rise in arrivals compared to July 2019, and Hong Kong’s visitors grew by 29.1%. Seven-Month Visitor Count Hits 12.8 Million During the first half of 2026, Hong Kong contributed approximately 420,000 visitors.

Air Arabia plans to commence direct flights between Sharjah and Gdansk starting December 14, 2026. This new route will connect Sharjah International Airport with Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport five times per week, operating on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The addition enhances direct travel options between the UAE and northern Poland, broadening Air Arabia’s network within the country. Tickets for the new service are currently available through the airline’s sales outlets.

Etihad’s Abu Dhabi-Gothenburg service will operate four times weekly this winter. This new route marks Gothenburg’s first direct flight connection to the United Arab Emirates, providing the city its inaugural nonstop route to the Middle East and Asia. Travelers from western Sweden can now connect via Abu Dhabi to numerous destinations across India and Asia. Conversely, travelers departing from Gothenburg will have direct access to Abu Dhabi, facilitating easy transit to wider regions.

South Korea posted a $596.6 million tourism surplus in June 2026, marking its strongest monthly result since the COVID-19 pandemic. South Korea welcomed 1,993,128 international tourists in June, reflecting a 23.1% increase from the same month last year. During the first half of 2026, international arrivals totaled 10,709,919, which is 21% higher than the previous year. Foreign tourist credit card spending in this period hit 10.0389 trillion won, a 50.8% increase.

Spain has restored temporary border checks for travelers arriving from Italy under Schengen rules. On the first day of enforcement, Spain’s Interior Ministry checked 199 travelers on 12 flights from Italy. Security personnel carried out passport, nationality, and visa checks on passengers arriving from Italy at airports including Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante, and Valencia. While these border controls are in effect, air and sea routes between Spain and Italy continue functioning normally. Italy introduced its restrictions on Aug. 1 following a significant influx of migrants into Ceuta, Spain’s North African territory. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska reported that roughly 70,000 of those arrivals had left the enclave by Aug. 4. Italy responded by stating it would keep its controls in place until the risk was deemed to have subsided. Spain scheduled its border checks to end on Sept. 7.

Dubai-based airline flydubai announced a significant boost to its European route network on Wednesday, with increased flight frequencies to major Italian destinations to meet growing international travel demand. According to Emirates News Agency, flydubai is enhancing its Italian operations by adding more flights to Milan-Bergamo and Naples, thereby strengthening direct connections between the United Arab Emirates and Southern Europe. Starting July 31, 2026, the airline will operate a double-daily service linking Dubai International Airport and Milan-Bergamo Airport, while also increasing flights to Naples International Airport to a daily schedule.