Dubai-based carrier flydubai has taken delivery of seven new aircraft so far in 2025, with a further five Boeing 737 MAX 8s scheduled to join the fleet before the end of the year.
The deliveries, made between April and August 2025, have grown the airline’s fleet to 93 aircraft. Once all 12 aircraft have been received this year, flydubai’s fleet will exceed 95 aircraft, serving more than 135 destinations in 57 countries.
flydubai adds 12 Boeing aircraft
Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said in a statement: “The arrival of these new aircraft is a testament to our long-term strategic vision and our confidence in the future of air travel. Our fleet investment supports our mission to offer greater choice, enhanced convenience and improved connectivity for our passengers. These deliveries are part of a backlog extensively delayed in recent years, and despite receiving 12 aircraft this year, we remain 20 aircraft behind our original projections.”
He added: “The continued interest from our financing partners highlights the strength of our business model and our commitment to contributing to the UAE’s leadership in global aviation. Looking ahead, these aircraft will enable us to unlock new destinations, optimise our operations and play an even greater role in supporting Dubai’s growth as an international aviation hub,” he added.
Financing for the first seven aircraft delivered this year was secured under Islamic financing from Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), conventional debt financing from the National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah (RAKBANK), and sale and leaseback transactions with JP Lease Products & Services Co., Ltd (JLPS) and JLPS Ireland Limited.
In 2025, flydubai has added 11 new destinations to its network, including Antalya and Al Alamein, as well as Damascus and Peshawar. Four European destinations, Chișinău, Iași, Vilnius, and Riga will launch between September and December.
The airline is also continuing its multimillion-dollar retrofit programme. Since the start of 2024, 23 Next-Generation Boeing 737-800s have been upgraded with new cabin interiors, including lie-flat Business Class seats and enhanced in-flight entertainment in Economy Class.
flydubai’s workforce has grown to more than 6,500 employees, a 10 per cent increase compared to 2024. The airline has also launched its Ab Initio Pilot Training Programme (MPL) to train future pilots in line with its expansion plans.