UAE's low-cost airlines have introduced numerous new destinations across different regions

Budget carriers are expanding their networks to famous tourist locations in Southeast Asia and Western Europe, giving residents of the United Arab Emirates more affordable options to select from while visiting new places. Insiders in the travel business claim that families, both Emirati and foreign, are choosing more and more low-cost travel options in order to save money for their experiences and accommodations. 

Low-cost airlines operating in the United Arab Emirates, including Air Arabia, Flydubai, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, and Wizz Air, have added a lot of new destinations in various regions, enabling travelers to visit places they haven't been before.

This month, Air Arabia said that it will begin offering one-way tickets to Vienna, Austria, for just Dh399, and that it will begin operating there in December 2024. The airline, headquartered in Sharjah, has also begun offering flights to Athens, Greece; Krakow, Poland; and Phuket, Thailand. 

Other destinations served by Flydubai include Olbia (Italy), Dubrovnik (Croatia), and the Greek cities of Corfu and Santorini. Similar to this, a number of destinations are served by low-cost carriers that are not provided by established airlines. 

Remarkably, budget carriers allow UAE residents to purchase return tickets to European locations for less than Dh1,977 with no baggage limit and Dh2,140 with a 20kg baggage allowance. In contrast, Dh3,500 would be spent on a fully operational commercial airline.

Salam Air, Oman's budget airline, offers connecting flights that are advantageous forresidents of the United Arab Emirates.

As per the aviation consultancy OAG, low-cost carriers operating in the Middle East have had a one percent surge in their market share in July 2024, culminating in a 28 percent share. July growth for Flyadeal, Air Arabia, FlyDubai, and Jazeera Airways is consistent, ranging from 5 to 7 percent year over year.