Airlines operating in UAE airports have scheduled approximately 7.869 million seats for international departures in November, marking an 8.1% increase compared to the same month last year, which translates to an additional 588,000 seats, according to data from OAG, a leading provider of airport and airline statistics.
The figures reveal that the UAE holds about 21.2% of the total seat capacity scheduled by carriers in the Middle East, which has 37 million seats scheduled for November, reflecting a 9.4% growth compared to the same period in the previous year.
In terms of scheduled seat capacity within the region, Saudi Arabia ranks second with approximately 7.18 million seats, followed by Qatar with around 2.7 million seats, and Iran in fourth place with roughly 1.1 million seats.
Emirates airline leads the region in terms of scheduled international departure seats in November, offering about 3.27 million seats, an increase from 3.07 million seats in November 2022, representing a growth of 6.3%. This is followed by Saudi Airlines with around 2.9 million seats and Qatar Airways at 2.6 million seats.
Additionally, FlyDubai has scheduled approximately 1.31 million seats for November, reflecting a 12.6% increase, while Etihad Airways plans for 1.3 million seats, showing a growth of 23.8%. Air Arabia has scheduled 895,500 seats, marking an 18.7% increase.
National carriers have continued to expand their destinations for travelers throughout the year, bolstered by a resurgence in travel demand and the UAE’s popularity as a preferred tourist destination.