Historic Milestone: Direct Flight Route from the UAE to Northern European Nation

flydubai opens first direct route from the UAE to Latvia.

The Emirati airline has launched a historic route to Riga, the capital of Latvia, with three weekly flights operating between Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Riga International Airport (RIX).

The first flight was received with a festive ceremony at Riga Airport, marking a significant strengthening of relations between the countries. This is particularly notable as there has never been a direct flight route between them before. The move is expected to boost tourism, deepen economic ties between Latvia and the UAE, and provide Latvian travelers easier access to Dubai's global hub.

Riga. Photo: Shutterstock

flydubai pilots on the historic landing. Photo: flydubai

Flights to Riga depart from Dubai (FZ1441) on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 16:55, landing at 22:20. Flights from Riga (FZ1442) take off at 23:20, arriving in Dubai at 08:15 the next day. Round-trip fares start from 360 EUR in economy class and 1,440 EUR in business class.

The new route is part of a collaboration between flydubai and Emirates, allowing for joint ticket purchases, direct baggage check-ins, and access to a network of over 240 destinations worldwide.

Besides the launch to Riga, the airline also inaugurated a direct route to Vilnius (Lithuania) this month, bringing its total European destinations to 35 in 20 countries.

flydubai's inaugural landing in Riga, Latvia. Photo: flydubai

"“The launch of our new service to Riga strengthens flydubai’s growing presence in Europe and supports our strategic commitment to expanding connectivity across underserved markets." added Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations and eCommerce at flydubai. He concluded: "Latvia is an exciting and dynamic market, and we are pleased to offer passengers a convenient, direct link between Dubai and Riga. As we continue to grow, we remain committed to investing in our fleet, our services and our onboard product to ensure an elevated experience for our customers."