Turkish Airlines rebuilds Middle East network with Gulf resumptions

Dubai flights have also doubled to 14 weekly services after restart

Last updated: July 03, 2026 | 12:53

Nivetha Dayanand, Assistant Business Editor

2 MIN READ

Turkish Airlines rebuilds Middle East network with Gulf resumptions

Dubai: Turkish Airlines has resumed flights to Abu Dhabi as it restores more of its Middle East network following a temporary suspension of services.

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The Istanbul-based airline restarted Abu Dhabi flights on July 1, with services to Dammam set to resume on July 10, Kuwait on July 11 and Bahrain on July 16.

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The move follows the restart of Dubai operations on June 9, giving UAE travellers more options to connect through Istanbul to Turkish Airlines’ wider global network.

Dubai flights doubled

Turkish Airlines has also increased its Dubai frequency from seven to 14 weekly flights, effective June 25.

The carrier has raised Amman flights from 14 to 21 weekly services, effective June 19, while Beirut flights increased from 21 to 28 weekly services from July 1.

Also Read: UAE travel update: Air Arabia expands global flight operations across major destinations

Also Read: Flying from Dubai? Many airlines continue to suspend routes

Also Read: UAE travel update: Turkish Airlines to resume Istanbul–Dubai flights from June 9

The airline said the resumptions will help reconnect travellers across the Middle East with its global network through Istanbul. Turkish Airlines flies to more than 350 destinations across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas.

The Abu Dhabi service operates from Istanbul on flight TK 868, departing at 6.45pm and arriving in Abu Dhabi at 12.25am on selected days.

The return flight, TK 869, departs Abu Dhabi at 1.30am and arrives in Istanbul at 5.25am.

Flights to Dammam will resume from July 10, followed by Kuwait on July 11 and Bahrain on July 16, as Turkish Airlines gradually restores operations across key Gulf markets.

More Gulf options

The Dammam service will depart Istanbul at 8.15pm and arrive at 12.15am, with the return flight leaving Dammam at 1.15am and reaching Istanbul at 5.30am.

Kuwait flights will depart Istanbul at 2am and arrive at 5.40am, while the return service will leave Kuwait at 6.35am and arrive in Istanbul at 10.25am.

Bahrain flights will depart Istanbul at 8.15pm and land at 12.10am, with the return service leaving Bahrain at 1.15am and arriving in Istanbul at 5.30am.

Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules and travel requirements through Turkish Airlines’ website or official channels before travelling.

Nivetha DayanandAssistant Business Editor

Nivetha Dayanand is Assistant Business Editor at Gulf News, where she spends her days unpacking money, markets, aviation, and the big shifts shaping life in the Gulf. Before returning to Gulf News, she launched Finance Middle East, complete with a podcast and video series. Her reporting has taken her from breaking spot news to long-form features and high-profile interviews. Nivetha has interviewed Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed Al Saud, Indian ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and N. Chandrababu Naidu, IMF’s Jihad Azour, and a long list of CEOs, regulators, and founders who are reshaping the region’s economy. An Erasmus Mundus journalism alum, Nivetha has shared classrooms and newsrooms with journalists from more than 40 countries, which probably explains her weakness for data, context, and a good follow-up question. When she is away from her keyboard (AFK), you are most likely to find her at the gym with an Eminem playlist, bingeing One Piece, or exploring games on her PS5.

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