Lufthansa Group plans to restore routes to Dubai in autumn 2026 through its Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Eurowings brands, with capacity rising to as many as three dozen weekly flights at peak operation.
Germany’s Lufthansa Group is preparing to bring Dubai back into its winter schedule from late October, marking another step in the gradual restoration of air links between Europe and the Middle East after months of disruption due to the US-Israel war on Iran.
The German-headquartered group said services will return in phases and could reach up to 36 flights a week to and from Dubai once the programme is fully operating. The restart will involve several of the group’s airlines, including Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Eurowings.
According to the group’s published schedule, Lufthansa is due to resume Munich-Dubai flights on 25 October, followed by Frankfurt-Dubai services on 26 October. SWISS is scheduled to restart Zurich-Dubai flights on 27 October, while Eurowings plans to return from Berlin and Stuttgart on 1 November and from Cologne-Bonn on 3 November. Austrian Airlines is expected to resume Vienna-Dubai flights on 12 December.
The move strengthens Lufthansa Group’s Middle East network as more carriers reassess suspended routes across the region. The company has already resumed or scheduled services to destinations including Riyadh, Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Amman, while also indicating that its Abu Dhabi network is expected to return towards the end of October.
Dubai is one of the world’s busiest airports, sitting between Europe, Asia, and Africa, with a geographical location within an 8-hour flight of two-thirds of the world’s population, making it a vital connecting hub between continents.
The emirate city has remained one of the most closely watched markets during the regional troubles, with several airlines extending route suspensions into the autumn or beyond. United Airlines has confirmed that its non-stop Newark-Dubai service will remain suspended until March 2027, while other international carriers have continued to adjust schedules in response to regional conditions. Air Canada, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, and Wizz Air all have suspensions ongoing to between late October 2026 and January 2027.
Coming back to Middle East market before those players could give Lufthansa an advantage over such rivals, but the Group said it continues to monitor security developments in the region in coordination with relevant authorities. It added that passenger and crew safety remains its priority. The planned return of Dubai flights is likely to broaden options for corporate and leisure travellers as demand for Gulf connectivity rebuilds ahead of the winter travel period.
