flydubai bolsters fleet with 12 new aircraft in 2025; delivery of 20 jets remain

Dubai: Dubai-based carrier flydubai has announced it will receive a total of 12 new aircraft in 2025, significantly boosting its strategic growth plans. Despite this major delivery, the airline remains 20 aircraft behind its original projections due to what it described as “extensively delayed” backlogs.

The Dubai-based carrier has already taken delivery of seven new Boeing 737 MAX 8s between April and August, bringing its current fleet to 93 aircraft. Five more are scheduled to arrive before the end of the year, pushing the total fleet to over 95 and enabling the airline to serve more than 135 destinations in 57 countries.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, flydubai’s CEO, acknowledged the challenges while highlighting the airline's forward momentum.

“The arrival of these new aircraft is a testament to our long-term strategic vision," he said, noting that the fleet investment supports the airline's mission to offer more choice and connectivity for passengers.

The expansion is not just about new planes. flydubai has also added 11 new destinations this year, with four more set to launch in Europe by the end of December. These new routes include flights to Chișinău, Iași, Vilnius, and Riga, further strengthening the airline's presence in the region.

In addition to fleet and network growth, flydubai is also investing in its customer experience. A multimillion-dollar retrofit program is underway to upgrade the cabins of 23 Next-Generation Boeing 737-800s, featuring lie-flat business class seats and new inflight entertainment.

The airline has also increased its workforce by 10 per cent to over 6,500 employees and launched a new pilot training program to support its ambitious growth.

Alongside its aircraft deliveries, flydubai said it continues to invest in enhancing customer experience and driving innovation.

Since the beginning of 2024, flydubai said 23 Next-Generation Boeing 737-800s have undergone a complete cabin retrofit as part of the carrier’s multimillion-dollar retrofit programme, which will continue into 2026.

The new onboard cabin interior features flydubai’s flagship lie-flat seats in Business Class as well as exceptional in-flight entertainment in Economy Class, ensuring a consistent and enhanced travel experience across the fleet.