Abu Dhabi gets direct Aqaba flights with easier access to Petra and Wadi Rum

Dubai: Travellers from Abu Dhabi can now fly directly to Aqaba after Royal Jordanian Airlines launched a new service to the Red Sea city, giving UAE residents easier access to Petra, Wadi Rum and other destinations in southern Jordan.

The airline will operate two weekly flights between Abu Dhabi and Aqaba, adding to its existing services between the UAE and Jordan.

Royal Jordanian now operates nearly 40 direct flights a week between the two countries, including 21 weekly flights between Dubai and Amman, seven between Sharjah and Amman and nine between Abu Dhabi and Amman.

Direct access to southern Jordan

The new Aqaba route gives passengers the option of reaching southern Jordan without travelling through Amman.

Aqaba forms part of Jordan’s Golden Triangle with Petra and Wadi Rum and is also one of the country’s main Red Sea tourism destinations.

The airline announced the route during an event in Dubai where it also introduced ExploRJordan, its tourism campaign covering destinations and experiences across the country.

Nearly 40 UAE-Jordan flights a week

Royal Jordanian’s expanded UAE network now connects Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi with Jordan through a mix of Amman and Aqaba services.

The Dubai event also highlighted Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea and Amman alongside Aqaba, with the airline seeking to encourage visitors to travel beyond Jordan’s traditional tourist sites.