Browsing: Travel

Dubai-based flag carrier Emirates begins the northern winter travel season with strong forward booking figures across its international routes, surpassing initial corporate expectations. This positive trend comes after a high-density summer operating period during which the airline carried over 8.6 million passengers to 140 destinations worldwide between July and August. Robust demand from both leisure travelers and premium clients continues to fuel passenger numbers as the airline boosts capacity to meet seasonal travel volume targets.

ABU DHABI / RankWire.AI / – Etihad Airways is set to commence year-round flights connecting Abu Dhabi with Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Airport starting on Oct. 4, 2026. Initially, the airline will operate one flight per week. The frequency will increase to two flights weekly beginning on Oct. 25. This new route will make Red Sea International the sixth Saudi destination within Etihad’s network and will strengthen the UAE capital’s non-stop links to Saudi Arabia.

Indonesia resumed operations at Jakarta’s main airport and several regional hubs on Tuesday following a disruption caused by ash from Anak Krakatau. The volcanic activity impacted nearly 3,000 flights and over 340,000 passengers nationwide. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport cleared to reopen after authorities confirmed that ash levels had decreased. Monitoring teams recorded three smaller eruptions on Tuesday morning. The volcano remained at Level III, which is the second-highest alert level in Indonesia.

Air Arabia increases Bangkok frequency with four daily flights from Sharjah to meet growing regional travel demand across commercial corridors. Travelers navigate modern airport terminal corridors carrying personal luggage and hand baggage. The expanded Bangkok operations complement the airline’s existing schedule to Thailand, which includes 21 weekly non-stop flights between Sharjah and Phuket. With the addition of the fourth daily Bangkok frequency, Air Arabia will operate a combined total of 49 weekly non-stop flights between its primary Sharjah hub and Thai destinations. The route expansion strengthens air connectivity between the Arabian Gulf and major Southeast Asian tourism and trade centers.

In July 2026, South Korea welcomed a total of 2,093,223 international tourists, indicating a robust rebound in global travel to the country. China remained South Korea’s largest source market for inbound visitors in July, with approximately 777,000 visitors. The number of foreign arrivals also saw a significant rise compared to the same month two years prior, with all five primary markets surpassing their respective July 2019 visitor figures. During the first seven months of 2026, foreign tourism continued to thrive, with South Korea receiving 12,803,142 international visitors, reflecting a 21.3% rise from the same period in 2025.

Air Arabia will start nonstop flights between Sharjah and Gdansk on Dec. 14, 2026, adding a new connection between the UAE and northern Poland. The airline will operate five flights each week between Sharjah International Airport and Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport. Services will run on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The route will give travelers in Poland’s Pomeranian region a direct air link to Sharjah.

Etihad Airways plans to introduce a seasonal nonstop route linking Abu Dhabi and Gothenburg starting December 17, 2026. The airline will operate this route four times weekly until March 21, 2027. During the winter travel period, flights will connect Zayed International Airport with Göteborg Landvetter Airport. This new service creates a direct connection between the UAE capital and Sweden’s second-largest city. Tickets are already available through the airline’s booking platforms.

South Korea recorded a $596.6 million tourism surplus in June 2026, marking its strongest monthly performance since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The monthly surplus increased by approximately $1.44 billion compared to June 2025, when the country experienced an $846.8 million deficit. Data from the Korea Tourism Organization identified June as the second-highest monthly tourism surplus ever recorded, with only October 2008 surpassing it at $661.5 million.

Spain has begun implementing temporary border controls for individuals arriving from Italy by air and sea. These measures started at midnight on Aug. 8 and are scheduled to remain in place until Sept. 7. Authorities are now inspecting travel documents and immigration papers on routes that typically do not have routine internal border checks. This decision follows Italy’s earlier move to reintroduce checks on certain passengers arriving from Spain. Travelers from Italy face temporary passport checks at Spanish airports and seaports. During the first day, Spain’s Interior Ministry reported inspecting 199 passengers traveling on 12 flights from Italy. The checks were carried out at airports in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante, and Valencia. The process includes verifying passports, nationality, and visa status where applicable. While authorities conduct these temporary controls, flights and maritime services between Spain and Italy continue to operate normally. Italy began its own temporary border controls on Aug. 1 following a significant migration influx into Ceuta from Morocco. Rome applied these checks to non-EU nationals arriving from Spain by air or sea, excluding Italian, Spanish, and other EU citizens from the targeted restrictions. Italy informed European authorities that its controls would run until Sept. 1, according to the current schedule.

Exterior view of the historic Church of San Francesco di Paola in Piazza del Plebiscito, Naples, Italy. This expanded timetable broadens flydubai’s overall operations within Italy, which also includes three weekly flights to Catania Airport in Sicily and seasonal summer flights twice a week to Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport in Sardinia, running through the end of August. Additionally, operational adjustments are planned due to scheduled maintenance work in Southern Italy. Because of maintenance at Dubai International Airport, flydubai will temporarily reroute its daily service to Naples from November 1 to November 30, 2026, via Salerno Costa d’Amalfi and Cilento Airport. Regular flights to Naples are expected to resume on December 1, 2026, with existing bookings automatically transferred to the Salerno route during this period. Expanding Connectivity Bolsters Trade and Tourism Between Countries The new routes to Milan-Bergamo and Naples continue to operate under the established codeshare agreement between flydubai and Emirates, the international flag carrier. This partnership allows travelers to access integrated itineraries, purchase unified tickets, enjoy synchronized schedules, and benefit from through-checked baggage across both airline networks. By leveraging the combined route network through Dubai’s hub, passengers arriving in Italian cities can easily connect to long-haul destinations in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, including direct flights to Kenya, Oman, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Z